Residents across the county are being urged to stay at home and keep fire safe over the upcoming bank holiday weekend.
With the weather set to be warm and sunny for most of the weekend, Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service is reminding people to follow the government's advice to stay home, while also keeping fire safe.
Protecting NHS
Group Commander Paul Clarke, the Service's Head of Community Fire Safety, said, “This has been a challenging time for many people and we want to thank everyone for sticking with the advice from the government to stay at home."
He adds, "It has been a tough period but we all need to keep going as the advice remains to stay at home, protect the NHS and save lives."
Tips to enjoy the weekend
If you are planning on having a BBQ in your household, please ensure you take the necessary precautions"
Paul Clarke continues, “A bank holiday weekend and warm weather is often the chance to invite people over and light up a BBQ. We urge you to stay home and if you are planning on having a BBQ with people in your household, please ensure you take the necessary precautions."
He adds, "It is possible to have a safe BBQ by following some simple safety tips, like placing it on level ground away from fences, sheds, trees, and other garden furniture. Also wait until it is fully out and cooled down before disposing of it and where possible, keep a bucket of water, sand, or a garden hose nearby for emergencies.”
Eliminating waste
The warm weather also allows for some garden clearing, leading to many lighting bonfires to clear the waste.
Paul Clarke stated, “Lighting any kind of fire poses risks, both to those lighting it and those around them. Having a bonfire in your garden might seem a good idea to eliminate waste from a clearout, but these can easily get out of control. It could also aggravate health conditions for neighbors, particularly if they are isolated due to COVID-19 symptoms."
Waste collection
He concludes, “The waste collections that might have stopped during the pandemic are due to re-start after the weekend, plus local recycling centers are also due to reopen. We would urge anyone thinking of having a bonfire to wait and use one of these methods to clear the waste next week.”