A WARNING has been issued by Hertfordshire fire chiefs over the risk posed by the ‘barbecue spring’.

Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service urged residents to take care with fire after the record-breaking spring heatwave.

The warmest April on record has seen firefighters receive more calls to small fires in rural areas and to deliberate fires started in urban areas.

Fire chiefs said the continued dry spell means there is a real risk of small fires getting out of control as people enjoy barbecues.

In the majority of cases the fires are not life threatening but they can cause damage to farmland, public open spaces and wildlife that can take many years to recover.

Community risk reduction manager, Steve Borrell, said: “I’d like to remind people to take extra care during this ‘barbecue spring’ we have been enjoying in recent weeks and to think about fire safety.

“The ground is very dry at the moment and it doesn’t take much to start a fire but at the same time fires are easily preventable.”