Hampshire firefighters urge people not to light sky lanterns for NHS

Communities across the Portsmouth region have been showing their solidarity with NHS workers by clapping at 8pm every Thursday.

But according to Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service, some people have also started lighting sky lanterns.

This, the service says, could lead to wildfires, endangering livestock and other wildlife, and increase the risk of fire to thatched properties and hazardous material sites.

The lanterns themselves are highly flammable.

Glenn Bowyer from Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service said: ‘We understand people wanting to show their support for NHS workers, but we urge people to avoid using sky lanterns.

‘It puts additional pressure on fire services and could potentially put further strain on the NHS.

‘Responding to fires caused by sky lanterns means firefighters wasting valuable time and resources on avoidable incidents – this time could be spent working with other emergency services to support vulnerable members of our community during these challenging times.’

The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) released a statement last week urging people to avoid the use of sky lanterns.

Flight paths and destinations for sky lanterns cannot be controlled, with flight times varying by manufactures from six minutes to more than 20.

It has been described by firefighters as a ‘worrying trend’ which could end up doing more harm than good.

For more information, people can go to hantsfire.gov.uk/keeping-safe/atleisure/flying-lanterns.