Rangers have backed calls for a temporary ban on disposal barbecues amid heightened concerns about the risk of wildfires.

Small fires have been reported in recent days in woodland near Bordon, Haslemere and Farnham while forces from throughout Hampshire and Surrey fought a major blaze on heathland at Blackwater over the weekend.

The combination of ongoing high temperatures, tinderbox conditions and the lack of rainfall means there’s a high risk of wildfires breaking out, especially on heathland.

Hampshire Fire & Rescue has urged people to be “wildfire aware” and not leave potential fuel when visiting the countryside. They’ve urged visitors to properly extinguish and discard cigarettes, to put litter and glass bottles in a bin, and to pack a picnic and not a disposable barbecue.

Petersfield Ranger, Jacob Gibson, would like a temporary ban on the latter having recently found an illegal campfire and broken glass on the town’s Heath.

He said: “A lot of small shops around the South Downs National Park stopped selling them for a while because of the risk and I’d like to see that happen again.

Petersfield Heath campfire
Idiocy: A campfire was recently lit on Petersfield Heath, wiht bottles also being left at the scene. (Petersfield Town Council)

“It’s such a dangerous thing to be doing this time of year when things are so dry. Even if you’re on sand or really short grass, it can still cause a fire.”

While Petersfield Heath has a partial warning system in place and is watched over by town council staff and surrounding residents, more rural areas don’t have the same level of protection.

“I would welcome a ban as people don’t generally put them out properly,” said Julie Reid, the national award-winning head ranger at the Deadwater Valley Trust.

“They don’t realise the heat transfers through the bottom so it’s dangerous for children and increases the risk of fire.

“We had an incident a couple of years ago when someone put a disposable barbecue in a wastebin while it was still warm. The threat of fire is very high at the moment and while have precautions in place like firebreaks, everyone is very aware of the risk and conditions.”

Ewshot woodland fire
Fire also broke out in woodland off Farnham Road, Ewshot, late last Friday. (Hampshire Fire & Rescue Service)

Julie’s concerns are very real as a fire close to power lines broke out last Friday (July 9) in Bordon Inclosure with the quick actions of local firefighters preventing its spread.

A large fire also broke out in woodland and undergrowth off Farnham Road in Ewshot the same night, while around 60 firefighters spent most of the weekend fighting a huge blaze near Blackwater which affected around ten hectares of heathland at its height.

Crews from Rushmoor, Hartley Wintney, Odiham and Surrey Fire and Rescue Service were among the many who attended the scene, with firefighters using hose reels and specialist wildfire units to bring the blaze under control.

A small fire in woodland north of the Jamia Ahmadiyya campus off Hindhead Road, near Haslemere, was also reported on Monday morning.

Firefighters also extinguished a car fire on the southbound A3 between Buriton and Queen Elizabeth Country Park around 10am on Sunday, with another taking place on Lovedean Lane, Catherington, last Friday evening.