Concerns about the dangers posed by disposable barbecues on the Isle of Man have been gently extinguished after Tynwald members heard they are linked to only a handful of fire incidents each year.

The issue was raised in the House of Keys by Arbory, Castletown and Malew MHK Jason Moorhouse, who asked when advice had last been issued on the safe use of portable barbecues and how often the Fire and Rescue Service had been called out to related incidents.

Responding on behalf of the Department of Home Affairs, Minister Jane Poole-Wilson revealed that the Isle of Man Fire and Rescue Service had recently shared safety guidance on several occasions through social media.

However, she suggested the scale of the problem was relatively modest.

‘Tempted as I was to channel my inner Mary Berry and offer some cookery demonstration advice today, I will restrict myself to matters within the purview of Home Affairs,’ she told members.

The minister said advice on the safe use of portable and disposable barbecues had been issued via the Fire and Rescue Service's Facebook page on May 5, 8, 20 and 24 this year.

Asked how many incidents had required attendance from firefighters over the last three years, Mrs Poole-Wilson said the service reports only a small number of barbecue-related call-outs.

‘The Fire and Rescue Service report only a small number of incidents involving barbecues, between three and five per year, over the past three years,’ she said.

She added that malicious fires overall had also reduced, falling from 10 incidents to eight during the same period.

Mr Moorhouse also queried whether any particular group was more likely to be responsible for such incidents.

The Middle MHK said the Fire and Rescue Service does not collect data at that level of detail, but continues to monitor incidents and would take action if any clear pattern or trend emerged.