I am on the management team of a small annual camp for music and arts. We hold an annual event in August. The landowner does not stipulate whether we can have fires or not. We have a comprehensive risk assessment for every activity on site, and we have public liability insurance. Fires are a central part of our camp experience to cook on, for social time, and at the end of the week, we hold a special fire, which is large and a focal point for the camp. It was argued by some campers that our end-of-week fire is “ceremonial”. In many ways, it is, but that does not mean it supersedes common sense and community responsibility.
The village is 1/2km from the field we use for the camp. The adjacent woods were tinder-dry. The surrounding fields, too, were bone dry. A number of long-term camp members were opposed to the common-sense of banning fires this year. Arguments like: “As experienced campers…” and “We have always had fires and never had a problem…” As the camp health and safety officer, I got a lot of flak. However, the Camp company directors understood the risk and accepted that the information that I was sending them was well researched.
“Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service confirmed it had only given organisers safety advice before the event. It said it did not approve the fire or give permission for it to go ahead.
The service has spent the week warning that drought conditions have left vegetation extremely dry, making fires easier to spread and harder to control. It has urged people to avoid lighting fires, campfires, or disposable barbecues in the countryside to reduce the risk of wildfires.
A spokesperson for the service said: “Ahead of the event, Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service provided the organisers with practical fire safety advice. It is the responsibility of event organisers to carry out their own fire risk assessment and ensure appropriate control measures are in place.
“It is not the role of the fire and rescue service to approve or give permission for events to proceed. Our Business Safety team directed organisers to guidance on undertaking fire risk assessments and provided advice on managing fire safety at events.”
The fire service said any planned fire-related activity should be covered by a thorough risk assessment to ensure it does not put participants, the public or the surrounding environment at risk.”
“Directors of the Goddess Conference said images and reports circulating online may have caused concern because they had been shared without the full context.”
I don’t think that the photo below lacks context; it clearly shows a highly risky large object throwing embers into the air.
Glastonbury Goddess Conference Fire
“A ceremonial fire lit during the Glastonbury Goddess Conference has sparked backlash from residents during the current drought.
Images of the Lammas fire circulated on social media this week, with locals questioning why a large open flame was used while Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service is urging people to avoid fires, campfires and disposable barbecues in the countryside.” https://glastonbury.nub.news/news/local-news/glastonbury-lammas-fire-sparks-drought-row-303832
Name removed from the above FB comment
This does not look like a well-managed fire situation.
If the Issue is one of insurance, then it is likely that many insurers may have withdrawn cover. The question is whether the Goddess Festival had insurance cover or not, given that Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue did not give them advice:
During severe drought conditions in the UK, insuring a bonfire event requires specialized public liability cover (typically £5m to £10m) and strict adherence to local fire authority restrictions. Policies generally exclude claims if an event proceeds despite a local burn ban or extreme drought hazard warnings:
- Drought & Burn Restrictions: Insurers and local authorities (such as Oxfordshire County Council or Thames Valley Fire Services) closely monitor dry terrain; proceeding against official bans invalidates policy terms.
- Pre-existing Conditions Exclusion: Under standard UK event terms, you cannot claim or secure coverage for weather-related cancellations if you purchase the policy less than 14 days before setup, or if you host an event during known, active local emergency drought prohibitions
- Mandatory Risk Mitigation: Expect insurers to request formal risk assessments, a minimum 100-meter fallout/clearance zone from dry brush or property, and a written agreement with professional pyrotechnic contractors if fireworks are involved
Did the Goddess Festival meet this stipulation? “A minimum 100-meter fallout/clearance zone from dry brush.” It’s not in the Facebook comment from the organiser, which is concerning.
Every single indicator for our camp was that the right thing to do was not to have fires. “Fire Chiefs are warning that a fifth heatwave this summer is adding further pressure on fire and rescue services, as firefighters continue to respond to exceptionally high levels of wildfire activity.” (published 11th August 2026) https://nfcc.org.uk/fire-chiefs-warn-of-sustained-wildfire-pressures-as-drought-spreads-across-england-and-wales/
“Glastonbury Town Council has urged residents and visitors not to light fires in open spaces following reports and images circulating on social media showing fires being lit in the town.
The council said fires in the open can spread quickly and unpredictably, posing a threat to wildlife, livestock, habitats, homes, businesses, and people.” https://www.somersetcountygazette.co.uk/news/26427980.wildfire-warning-issued-fires-lit-glastonbury/
The Pragmatic Approach of the Experienced Camper/Survivalist is to NOT have Campfires
At this point of being accused of being a “Dystopian Survivalist” by exactly the type of person who would likely prioritise their ceremonial fire over the good of the local community because their punters have paid for it and it’s “ceremonially essential”. I have been vindicated by the government’s need to ban fires to protect the countryside from entitled idiots
“No harm done?” Well, no, actually, it is exactly because of the Glastonbury Lammas Goddess fire that the government has had to step in to protect the land from these self-entitled ceremonialists.
The only fire our camp had was in the shower’s stove, which became a bit of a magnet for people who missed the campfires. We asked people to cook using Trangias and Gas stoves off the ground and 2m from tents. Various people commented later that this was a pleasant way to cook.
Throughout the week, various campers asked if a fire was lit and watched all the time, could we relax the rules? Unfortunately, this was not possible because the field would be difficult for a fire appliance to access, and none of us were confident that if a grass fire were to start, we could extinguish it successfully. We were camping on a field of tinder. Sadly, I was sad too; we had to decline and stick with our plan, simply for insurance purposes.
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