The public are being warned not to use fire lanterns as a way of showing appreciation for NHS staff and care workers.

There have been concerns that the lanterns, which are banned across Wales, may be used during weekly shows of appreciation, leading to a greater risk of wildfires.

The warning follows a period of dry weather which increases the risk at a time when services are stretched due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Roy Wilsher, Chairman of the National Fire Chiefs Council, said: “Setting off sky lanterns is misguided. While I fully understand people wanting to show their support to the NHS, I would encourage people to find a different way to do this.

“NFCC does not advocate the use of sky lanterns and we do not believe they should be used under any circumstances.

“All emergency services are currently under unprecedented pressure due to Covid-19 and I am concerned this type of activity could not only put additional pressure on the fire service, but further strain on the NHS.

“If a sky lantern causes a fire, it could see firefighters spending valuable time dealing with what could be a complex and large-scale incident – time which could be spent supporting vulnerable people in the community, as part of the fire services response to Covid-19.”

In a post on Facebook, South Wales Fire and Rescue Service said: “At a time when wildfires are on the increase in South Wales, we discourage the use of sky lanterns.

“While we fully understand people wanting to show their support to the NHS, sky lanterns are a fire hazard and many local authorities have already banned them.”

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