A TEMPORARY ban on open fires and barbecues on all common land has been introduced by the Dartmoor National Park Authority.

The ban has been introduced due to the prolonged dry weather and the risk wildfires can pose to people and animals, as well as damage to property and the natural environment.

People who plan to spend time in the National Park are urged to be extremely vigilant to the increased risk of fires.

A wildfire can start extremely rapidly from things such as a disposable barbecue, a dropped cigarette, a match thrown out of a car window, or an empty glass bottle left in the sun. All can cause catastrophic damage to natural habitats as well as killing animals and endanger other people using the Park. Users of the park are advised to be particularly alert over this weekend’s heatwave.

Richard Drysdale, Dartmoor National Park Authority’s Director of Conservation and Communities, said: ‘We are introducing this temporary ban to try and help prevent a wildfire on Dartmoor. We want people to enjoy Dartmoor and urge them to do as much as they can to prevent a fire from breaking out.

‘We would like to thank everyone who is being responsible but our Rangers are still reporting incidents of people having open fires and barbecues on the open moor or common land. This is a danger to life and the environment,.’

Signs warning of the increased fire risk and telling people about the ban on barbecues and open fires are being installed around the National Park.

The ban is being introduced as a temporary measure under the Dartmoor Commons Act 1985, Section 10(4)c and is for the purpose of preventing fire risk. The ban has the support of the Dartmoor Commoners’ Council, Dartmoor Commons Owners Association, Natural England and Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service.