Bid to ban Peak District barbecues and campfires

Barbecues and campfires could be banned in part of the Peak District in a bid to stop wildfires breaking out.

Fire crews in the High Peak, Derbyshire, have been called to about 20 fires in the national park so far this year, including a major incident in Goyt Valley which shut roads and took days to bring under control.

High Peak Borough Council is proposing to introduce an order for public areas of the Peak District within its borders, giving powers to police and council officers "to reduce the risk of wildfires".

It would ban lighting fires, barbecues, fireworks and sky lanterns, and carrying items which officers think will be used to do so.

The council is running a survey on the Public Space Protection Order proposal until 26 May.

Councillor for community safety Godfrey Claff said "careless and thoughtless behaviour" in the Peak District carries a huge risk.

He added: "The fires in Los Angeles earlier this year were a stark demonstration of the enormous risk to life and property that wildfires cause.

"We've had a reminder of the very local threat to our communities just recently with the large fire in the Goyt Valley.

"We want to do what we can to reduce the risk of human activity causing wildfires which is why we're proposing this ban."

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