BBCPeople in Guernsey have been reminded to follow seven safety tips while having barbecues and contained fires on beaches during the summer.
The States of Guernsey said barbecues were only permitted on the north and west coast beaches, excluding Richmond end of Vazon.
The States also urged people to take litter home or place it in an appropriate litter bin and to “enjoy Guernsey’s beaches safely”.
Principal Environment Services Officer Andy McCutcheon said it only took a “minute to check that what you are planning was safe”.
‘Important message’
Mr McCutcheon said: “Even if you’re not the one organising the barbecue, when you turn up at the beach you can still check that these things are in place to protect yourself and other beach users.
“This isn’t a new message, but it remains an important one each year.”
The safety advice includes:
- Light barbecues after 17:00 and put them out before midnight
- Light in a spot where smoke will not disturb other people
- Light barbecues in a small fire bowl or bucket
- Light below the high-tide mark and at least 4m away from any vegetation and away from shingle, as stones can explode if they get too hot
- Have a container on hand to collect seawater to cool the barbecue
- Safely extinguish a barbecue, embers and surrounding sand by dousing in water until they are cold
- Dispose of the cold remnants properly by either taking them home or by putting carefully in a litter bin
The States added that, when the weather had been particularly hot and dry, people should remember that fires could be started by a discarded cigarette butt or glass bottle.