Luton North MP Sarah Owen has said she is “appalled” after fireworks were reportedly set off in the town despite warnings over the very high risk of wildfires.
Ms Owen said she had raised the latest incident with Bedfordshire Police after fireworks were heard in the early hours of Monday morning (August 17), just days after the government issued an emergency alert that set off alarms on mobile phones, warning people not to do anything that could start a fire.
Her comments come after a weekend which saw a major blaze at a commercial building in Selbourne Road, while Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service has dealt with dozens of outdoor fires across the county.
Ms Owen wrote on social media: “The government’s emergency alert on Friday was very clear: there is a very high risk of wildfires across the country, and people should not do anything that could start a fire, including setting off fireworks.
“We have seen the devastating impact a fire can have in Luton over the weekend, with firefighters working to tackle a major blaze on Selbourne Road, earlier in Futures House and wildfires in Warden Hills before that.
“Yet, fireworks were still being set off in the early hours of this morning. I have raised this with Bedfordshire Police and am appalled at the irresponsibility of it.
“Please take the government’s warning seriously. With conditions this hot and dry, even a small flame can quickly develop into a major fire, putting lives, homes and our emergency services at risk.”
The latest comments are not the first time Ms Owen has raised concerns about fireworks being set off across Luton north and she has been behind a campaign to address the nuisance.
Last week she said she had been contacted by residents about another “spate of fireworks” being set off late at night, with complaints about disruption to sleep and distress caused to families, children and pets.
She also warned at the time that the hot and dry conditions meant the irresponsible use of fireworks carried an increased risk of fires.
Ms Owen said she had written to Luton Council and Bedfordshire Police to ask what action was being taken locally to tackle what she described as nuisance fireworks, as well as how enforcement and reporting could be improved.
She also highlighted a national consultation on changes to fireworks legislation, saying she was pleased to have secured action from the government.
The MP said the consultation was an important step towards stronger restrictions on the sale of fireworks, including proposals to restrict the availability of noisier fireworks to members of the public.
Residents have been encouraged to respond to the consultation and continue reporting nuisance fireworks to Luton Council through the Love Clean Streets app and to Bedfordshire Police on 101.
Meanwhile, Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service has revealed that its crews have attended 37 outdoor fires since the government emergency alert was issued on Friday (14 August).
More than 180 outdoor fires have been attended by the service since the start of August, placing significant demand on emergency services during what it says is one of the driest summers it has ever experienced.
Area Commander Mark Garrett, Head of Protection and Response at Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service, said cooler weather this week should not give residents the impression that the danger has passed.
“The arrival of cooler weather this week may give some the impression that the risk of wildfires has passed but this is not the case. Bedfordshire remains extremely dry and has a high risk.
“Despite our repeated warnings, our Fire Control are still receiving calls to outdoor fires and notifications of controlled burns. In the current conditions, we really want the public to think twice before having any kind of outdoor fire as it only takes a spark for a fire to significantly spread and turn into a devastating incident.
“Our message is simple. Please avoid all activity that could start a fire. By taking simple precautions, residents and businesses can help protect their communities and reduce demand on emergency services.”
The warning follows the major fire at Selbourne Road on Saturday, when a major incident was declared and 10 fire engines, three aerial platforms, two water carriers and an incident command unit were deployed.
The fire was eventually contained within the building where it started and the major incident was stood down later that day.
Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service is continuing to urge residents and businesses to avoid lighting outdoor fires, including bonfires and controlled burns, while the fire severity index remains very high.
The service says the extremely dry conditions mean even a small spark can cause a fire to spread rapidly.
Be the first to comment