THE New Forest National Park Authority is pleading with retailers to stop selling disposable barbecues and for a continued ban on fires and barbecues in the open countryside.

The move comes as rangers revealed they were forced to extinguish 60 fires and barbecues in the New Forest in just one weekend.

The forest is at extreme risk of fire and numerous areas of scorched earth have been left across the protected habitats when a fire warning is still in place.

Forest organisations including the National Park Authority, Forestry England Hampshire County Council, New Forest District Council and the National Trust have been working tirelessly with the emergency services to educate the public about the dangers of disposable barbecues and fires, and to protect the Forest and coast.

Brockenhurst business Streets Ironmongers store has already voluntarily pulled disposable barbecues from sale and Brockenhurst Business Association has asked other retailers in the village to join them.

New Forest National Park Authority Chairman Oliver Crosthwaite-Eyre said: “The National Park is one of the best places for wildlife in the UK and is extremely fragile.

“In nearby Dorset we have seen over 220 hectares of rare heathland and forest at Wareham Forest devastated by fire, likely to have been caused by disposable barbecues, and the same could happen here. It has been really upsetting to see the photos of dead lizards, slow worms burnt alive and all the trees and heathland destroyed. There is also a huge concern here that New Forest ponies and cattle could be put at risk.”

Bruce Rothnie, New Forest Deputy Surveyor for Forestry England, said: “Forestry England has repeated warnings to the public about the high risk of wildfires and confirmed that fires of any type, including disposable barbecues are not permitted on the land we manage at this time. We’ve also closed all of our barbecue facilities at popular visitor spots in the New Forest.

“It’s shocking that a small, but dangerous, minority are ignoring the warnings and our staff have reported a steady increase in the number of people using barbecues or lighting campfires. In the New Forest alone, over one weekend, our team of rangers and Keepers spoke to hundreds of people and extinguished over 60 barbecues and campfires.”

Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service Station Manager Andy Weeks said: “We urge the public to follow the guidance and refrain from using barbecues and having camp fires in forests, parks or any public area due to the risk of wildfires at this time.

“It’s vital for everybody to stay alert and report any incidents as soon as possible. If you see a fire, get to a place of safety and call 999 immediately so we can put it out before it does any significant damage.

Retailers who are backing the ban are asked to show their support on social media by tagging #BBQFreeNewForest and displaying poster.