Plymouth fireworks are set to go ahead on Wednesday and Thursday even as wildfire danger stays high across Devon and Cornwall. Jim Winship said the displays are “pretty safe” because they will be fired from the Mountbatten breakwater in Plymouth Sound, with a fire engine ready if needed.
Six professional pyrotechnic teams will each have 10 minutes, and organisers expect more than 35,000 people each night. Winship said the event is in its 31st year and should bring about £5m-worth of business to Plymouth.
Mountbatten breakwater rules
Winship said there was only one small area where the display could cause a fire. He also said there are very strict rules on the types of fireworks competitors can use, and sparklers are banned at the event.
Those limits are the main control measures organisers have described for the championships. The displays are taking place on a breakwater in the middle of Plymouth Sound, which leaves them largely surrounded by water.
Devon and Cornwall warnings
The championships are going ahead while wildfires continue to grip the South West, with blazes breaking out across Devon and Cornwall in recent days. A hosepipe ban remains in force across Devon and Cornwall, and more than two-thirds of England is officially in drought.
Dan Searle, from Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service, said “the wildfire index is extremely high so we are urging people to be really vigilant, really careful”. Cornwall's fire service urged the public to exercise extra caution with barbecues, smoking materials and open spaces, and both fire services warned against controlled burns in case they got out of control.
Richard Gates in Cornwall
Richard Gates said Falmouth Week in Cornwall called off its annual fireworks display, which was due to take place on Friday, because the ground was too dry. He said, “We've spent many hours looking at every alternative with our partners, but with the ground this dry the risks are too high and safety has to come first, and that unfortunately means the display can't go ahead this year.”
The different decisions show how much local conditions now shape firework plans in Devon and Cornwall. Plymouth is proceeding with strict limits and a fire engine on standby, while Cornwall has already pulled one display because the dry ground made the risk too high.
