Petrol is a highly flammable liquid, and its vapour can catch fire. Together this means that storing petrol incorrectly has the potential risk of fire or serious injury.

We would always encourage people not store petrol at home. However we do recognise that it may be needed for use in household items such as lawnmowers, hedge cutters and other garden tools. If you do need to store fuel for these purposes there are some things you need to be aware of.

Not counting what is in the tank of a car or motor vehicle, up to 30 litres of petrol can be stored at home or in a non-workplace premises, as long as it its stored in:

• A demountable fuel tank of up to 30 litres.
• A suitable metal container of up to 20 litres.
• A suitable plastic container of up to 10 litres.
• Any combination of the above.

In the 2021 harvest period NFU Mutual, the UK’s leading rural insurer, experienced a 35 per cent increase in the number of combine harvester fires. That is eight combine harvester fires a day!

A fire prevention checklist was issued this year (2022) with the aim of supporting farmers to avoid the damage and disruption caused by accidental combine harvester fires.

With new combine harvesters costing at least £250,000, and the fires having the potential to spread to standing and cut crops. these fires can have a devastating impact on farmers.

Bearing in mind some of the extremely hot and dry conditions experienced in recent months, the hot dusty nature of harvesting, as well as moving machinery parts, the conditions for a major fire to happen are increased. Add to that a tank of diesel and the results can be devastating!

We’ve put together some simple safety tips which can help reduce this risk.

Before lighting the coals, please consider the following safety tips, so any charring remains on your burgers and bangers, and doesn’t spread further! 

Please don’t be tempted to take a dip in rivers, lakes or canals, whatever the weather. Even good swimmers can be caught out by hidden dangers such as fast currents, deep water, soft mud, weeds or rubbish. Any stretch of water, still or flowing, has the capability to kill.

Top tips for when you are in or near water when on holiday:

Whether you are simply looking forward to spending time outdoors, or maybe planning to go camping or caravanning, we want everyone to have a good time without falling foul of seasonal risks.

Bonfires can be a fire risk, so we would always recommend looking for alternative ways to get rid of your waste. Some areas of Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes are designated smoke free zones so check if a restriction is placed on your address.

If you do have a bonfire, please make sure you follow our advice: