• Avoid alcohol if you are in charge of a barbecue.
• Keep a bucket of water, sand or a garden hose nearby for emergencies.
• Never take a portable barbecue – or lit charcoal – into an enclosed space like a tent or caravan.
• Never leave a barbeque unattended.
• Make sure your barbeque site is flat and well away from sheds, fences, trees, shrubs or garden waste.
• Keep children and pets away from the cooking area.
• Use enough charcoal to cover the base of the barbeque, but not more (normally around 5cms or 2 inches).
• Do not dispose of ashes from camp fires or barbeques until they are cold to the touch.
• Hot ashes can melt a plastic wheelie bin and can also cause a fire.
• After cooking, make sure the barbeque is cool before moving it.
• Never use petrol or paraffin to light your barbeque; use only recognised lighters or starter fuels on cold coals.
It is not illegal to have open fires, but to always check in times of good weather and dryness.