Shops should play close attention to weather forecasts and stop selling disposable barbecues when temperatures are extremely high.

That is the suggestion from the British Retail Consortium which has this week launched guidelines it suggests retailers follow if they stock the portable grills this summer.

During last August’s heatwave there were calls to ban disposable barbecues after fires caused by their use broke out as temperatures in some parts of England tipped 40C.

The barbecues, which can be bought for as little as £5, can be a fire risk especially when used on dry ground.

Among those calling for them to be outlawed was London’s Chief Fire Commissioner after his crews prevented a serious blaze at flats in east London thought to have been triggered by a disposable barbecue.

There were also fires at a Norfolk nature reserve, in the grounds of a National Trust property in South London and on the cliffs in Torbay, Devon – where land is thought to have been accidentally set alight by people cooking on some of the driest ground for 100 years.

The new guidelines - which have been put together with the help of the National Fire Chiefs Council – aim to encourage shops stocking portable barbecues to sell them in a responsible way to help prevent wildfires during the summer.

The BRC says its guidance follows ‘three key principles’.

This includes encouraging retailers to follow ‘evidence-based’ requests by local councils to stop selling barbecues if they're asked to; to take barbecues off-sale when extreme heat events are forecast as imminent; as well as ensuring customers are told how to use their barbecue safely when they buy one.

Paul Hedley, Wildfire Lead at the National Fire Chief Council, said: “Retailers can take an active role in supporting community safety by responding to Local Authority requests to remove disposable BBQs from sale and respond proactively to imminent extreme heat.”

There is advice for the public too.

This includes using disposable barbecues in suitable areas and not in enclosed spaces; never leaving grills unattended; having a bucket of water or sand to hand for emergencies and ensuring the barbecue is completely cool before it’s thrown away with cold ashes emptied onto bare soil and never into a bin.

Adrian Simpson Product Safety Policy Adviser at the BRC added: “Disposable barbecues provide a great way for people to enjoy the summer outdoors. However, it is extremely important that users realise that these must be used responsibly.

“They must only be used in safe areas, they must never be left unattended, the safety instructions must be followed, a bucket of water or sand must be available nearby for emergency use, and the BBQ must be completely cool before disposal.”