In the summer months, it’s not uncommon to find evidence of fires which have been lit on beaches the previous night. Fires in public places can present a significant risk to both the public and wildlife in the area if they are not extinguished and cleared away properly. The Council advises that all residents and visitors respect that everyone should be able to access the islands’ beaches safely and does not encourage the lighting of fires in public places.
Fires lit in public places at night pose particular risks because even when attempts are made to extinguish them, they are often left unattended whilst still smouldering. A fire that is not properly extinguished can still burn under the sand for hours longer than people expect and this won’t always be spotted by people, particularly children, accessing the beach in daylight hours. The photographs below show a fire that was left to burn in the middle of Porthcressa Beach last summer.
Pallets, which are often used for beach fires, can also pose additional risks as they often contain metal nails or are painted or contaminated with a product which produces toxic gases when burned.
Advice for beach users
We are asking everyone who enjoys the islands’ beaches to look out for signs that fires have been lit and avoid any potentially hazardous areas for their own safety.
Any out-of-control fires should always be reported by calling 999 and asking for the Fire Service.
Anyone who comes across a partially extinguished fire site on Council land which poses a risk to the public can report it to the Council by calling 01720 424450 or emailing environment@scilly.gov.uk. If you are concerned about a non-emergency fire out of office hours, you can call the operational services duty phone on 07747 767 965.
Lighting a fire in a public place always presents a potential hazard to the public, wildlife and environment. If you do decide to take this risk, it’s important to reduce the risk to yourself and others by:
- getting permission from the relevant Landowner
- reading the advice from the Fire and Rescue Service on fire safety outdoors
- not causing a nuisance to those in the surrounding area
- ensuring you fully extinguish the fire before leaving it unattended
- clearing up any debris as soon as it is safe to do so
If you cannot do this, please consider not having the fire in a public place at all.
We have also noted a significant number of bottles, packaging and other items being left on some of our most popular beaches after gatherings at night. We urge anyone taking part in these gatherings to clear up afterwards and take their rubbish home with them to ensure that nobody is put at risk of injury from broken glass and that our beaches remain in their beautiful natural state for everyone to enjoy.
Thank you for your cooperation in keeping Scilly clean and safe.