Lanterns are 'wildfires waiting to happen'

4 hours ago

David McKenna,East Yorkshire and Lincolnshireand

Simon Spark,Burton Constable Hall

News image — Wildlife officer Dave Nassau with the remains of a sky lantern at Burton Constable Hall

Simon Spark/BBC Wildlife officer Dave Nassau. He is wearing a green jacket and cap and is holding the remains of two sky lanterns. There is an expanse of brown-coloured grassland behind him. — Wildlife officer Dave Nassau with the remains of a sky lantern at Burton Constable Hall

Staff at a country house have called for a complete ban on sky lanterns after the burnt out remains of two lanterns were found in the grounds.

Dave Nassau, 61, wildlife and parkland officer at Burton Constable Hall in East Yorkshire, said with the recent dry weather it is "a wildfire waiting to happen".

"I can't comprehend [it], especially in the situation we are in at the minute," he added.

Earlier this week, Humberside Fire and Rescue reiterated a plea for people to refrain from having barbecues and fires.

Getty Images Hands releasing a lit sky lantern. There is a flame at the bottom and the lantern is glowing orange. — The National Farmers' Union is campaigning for a national ban

Nassau said: "It's all over the media about the risk of fire in the countryside. It puts people's lives at risk, livelihoods at risk.

"Trying to stop a fire where we are now, it could spread to other farmland, crops.

"These things should be banned nationally, but I can't understand anybody at this moment in time why they would light it.

"The grass is tender, tender dry and it would just take a little spark.

"These are a ticking time bomb at the moment in the countryside."

According to the National Farmers' Union (NFU), a large proportion of local authorities, including East Riding of Yorkshire Council, were supporting its campaign to ban sky lanterns, including banning their release from council-owned land.

The NFU says every year up to 200,000 sky lanterns are released in the UK.

Nassau added: "People think it is a nice thing to do, [but] even when they get put out, there's still a risk to livestock and wildlife [due to the metal parts].

"Everybody has to play their part in this - stop buying them, stop using them and protect the countryside, because it's everybody's countryside."

Simon Spark/BBC Holly McLeod. She has long fair hair and is wearing a spotted top. She is standing in a field with trees in the background. — Holly McLeod says the lanterns pose a serious fire risk

Meanwhile, Holly McLeod, 29, marketing executive at the hall, said she "really can't believe people would think it's OK to light these lanterns" at any time.

"You have no idea where it's going to land, and it's a fire risk," she said.

"Obviously, with the recent dry weather, it's a huge risk at the moment."

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