Only the barbecue needs to be smoking this Bank Holiday weekend.

Jo’s Safety Tips:

• Make sure your barbecue is sited well away from sheds, fences, trees, shrubs or garden waste.
• Use enough charcoal to cover the base of the barbecue, but not more.
• If you live in a flat, do not use a barbecue on a balcony, if a fire develops it could spread to neighbouring balconies and flats.
• Follow the safety instructions provided with disposable barbecues.
• Do not use a barbecue indoors.
• Do not leave a lit barbecue unattended.
• Keep children, pets and garden games away from the cooking area.
• Always keep a bucket of water, sand or a garden hose nearby for emergencies.
• Enjoy yourself, but do not drink too much alcohol if you are in charge of the barbecue.
• After cooking, make sure the barbecue is cool before moving it.
• Empty ashes onto bare garden soil, not into dustbins or wheelie bins. Hot ash can melt a plastic bin or cause a fire.

You could also use the time to check in on our safety advice hub for more BBQ advice, plus lots of additional tips to make sure you, and our crews, all stay safe and enjoy our Bank Holiday weekend.

For more information on the incident see our incident updates Fire affecting two sheds and the owners report at: Mum’s urgent warning after garden went up in flames when BBQ sparked inferno (thesun.co.uk)