Have your say on plans to restrict barbecues, fires and fireworks to protect Barnsley moorlands

A public consultation has opened to gather resident’s views on proposals to restrict barbecues, fires and fireworks on Barnsley’s moorlands, in a bid to prevent wildfires.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

If approved, the proposals would cover all 2,500 hectares of publicly-accessible moorland in the borough, subject to the agreement of private landowners.

If agreed the PSPO (public spaces protection order) would mean that anyone lighting a fire, fireworks or disposable barbecue in publicly-accessible moorland areas would be committing a criminal offence.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The order can be enforced by the police and the council, and a breach could result in a fixed penalty notice of £100, or up to £1,000 fine upon prosecution.

The proposals would cover all 2,500 hectares of publicly-accessible moorland  in the borough, subject to the agreement of private landowners.The proposals would cover all 2,500 hectares of publicly-accessible moorland  in the borough, subject to the agreement of private landowners.
The proposals would cover all 2,500 hectares of publicly-accessible moorland in the borough, subject to the agreement of private landowners.

The PSPO is to reduce the risk of wildfires in Barnsley by limiting the use of barbecues, fires and fireworks, which have the potential to cause fires on Barnsley’s peat moorlands.

Healthy peatlands which are in a good condition absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, and by maintaining peatlands can ensure this carbon stays stored within the ground – damaged peatlands emit carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

Similar PSPOs have been implemented by councils in Bradford and the High Peak in Derbyshire.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

In April 2019, a barbeque started a fire at Marsden Moor in Kirklees which damaged 700 hectares of Moorland, took four days for firefighters to put out, and caused £500,000 of damage – BMBC hopes the PSPO would help to prevent similar fires in the borough.

Councillor Robert Frost, cabinet spokesperson for regeneration and culture, said: “We all have a part to play in protecting the greenspaces in our borough for future generations and helping Barnsley to meet its aspirations to become net zero by 2045.

“We want to hear local people and organisations’ views on the proposed Public Space Protection Order which we believe is the right move to prevent damaging and dangerous wildfires, and to protect our important peatlands.

“Please take a moment to fill in our survey which you can find at barnsley.gov.uk/HaveYourSay and give us your views on the proposed PSPO.”

The consultation will run from Monday August 1, until Sunday October 2 and can be found here.