Shock! Horror! Chinese Lantern Fire Risk

I see that the Cambs Fire & Rescue Service (CFRS & Cambs County Council's Trading Standards Team have issued a warning that the lanterns pose a serious risk to members of the public & animals.

Come on, do these people really have nothing better to do.  I hold the fire service innthe highest regard & have written an article recently to that effect but putting out statements like this risk making them look silly.  As for TYrading Standards, well the less said the better.

Apparently they cause a fire risk to homes, buildings & vegetation.  The lanterns are lit, go up in the air & then fall to earth when the fuel cell has run out.  In the middle of winter with very cold conditions & the amount of rain we have had I do not see how this can be a fire risk.  They only come down whenthe fire is out.  They also warn of of being burnt by dripping hot wax as you light them.  They have obviuosly never used one of these lanterns as they do not produce wax at all.  If they are this dangerous their sale should be outlawed.  The simple fact of the matter is that they are harmless fun.  Maybe they should spend more time on the very real dangers of fireworks or people falling asleep whilst smoking which claimed another life in Wisbech this week.

I can agree with one are of their warning however.  There are two types of lantern, one hase a metal wire base & the other a string one although both claim to be bio-degradeable.  The metal one could injure animals if ingested & can in no way be called bio-degradeable.  Maybe Trading Standards should direct their energies to forcing businesses who are selling these falsely as bio-degradeable to sell them properly.  I can think of two local companies who do so & if I can find them accidentally, I'm sure Trading Standards can.