A plea has been put out to residents to stop using barbecues and fireworks in a bid to prevent more fires from being started during the record breaking summer in Peterborough.

Peterborough MP Andrew Pakes, North West Cambridgeshire MP Sam Carling and Peterborough City Council Leader Cllr Shabina Qayyum have made the call as a wildfire at Holme Fen continues to burn, days after it started.

The fire has required more than 80 firefighters and mutual aid from fire services as far afield as Merseyside. It is the second serious fire at the nature reserve in under a fortnight, and crews have described tackling it in "arduous conditions" made worse by extreme heat.

In an open letter to residents, the politicians call for common sense and restraint in the face of rising temperatures, urging anyone planning to use fireworks and disposable barbecues while the hot, dry weather continues to think again and to practise good fire safety.

Residents are being urged to think twice about using disposable barbecues and fireworks during the summer heatwaves

placeholder image — Residents are being urged to think twice about using disposable barbecues and fireworks during the summer heatwaves

WATCH: Holme Fen fire 'to burn for days' as helicopter drafted in to help douse ...

Andrew Pakes, MP for Peterborough, said: "We've all seen the numerous fires that have broken out over the last few weeks, and the incredible effort going into getting them under control. Fireworks can be brilliant fun when they're organised and done properly, but right now, in this heat, with everything as dry as it is, a single spark is all it takes to cause real damage. I'd ask everyone in Peterborough to think again before setting them off, and to have a word with anyone they know who's planning to."

Sam Carling, MP for North West Cambridgeshire, said: "Our firefighters have been working round the clock to deal with blazes like the one at Holme fen, the least we can do is not add to the risk. This isn't about spoiling anyone's fun, it's about recognising that conditions right now make fireworks and disposable barbecues genuinely dangerous. Please hold off until the weather changes."

Cllr Shabina Qayyum, Leader of Peterborough City Council, said: "Keeping our city and our communities safe is something we all have a part to play in. Our parks and green spaces are tinder-dry at the moment, and I'd urge everyone to exercise real caution, that means thinking twice about fireworks and disposable barbecues, and looking out for each other by speaking up if you see something risky."