100,000 tonnes of material at a recycling plant near Birmingham went on fire after a lantern landed on the premises. 200 firefighters were called in to fight the massive blaze, and 11 were treated for minor injuries. The total costs and damages are estimated to be around €7 million.
Firefighting organisations and politicians were quick to call for regulation of the increasingly popular skylights following the incident. MP Tim Farron told the BBC “I think the evidence does point towards a ban”. Vijith Randeniya, chief fire officer of the West Midlands, warned the public against using the lanterns, observing “you put some fire in the sky, it lands in combustible material and you get a multimillion-pound incident like this”.
Chinese or sky lanterns have become increasingly common, particularly among groups celebrating special occasions such as weddings and birthdays. They have also been launched at concerts and festivals. With their unpredictable movement patterns, the lanterns and their dim light are often mistaken for UFOs.
Although predominantly used for celebratory purposes, they originated in the 3rd century BC as a method of communication during war. In more recent times, they have become common outside Asia, although are still mainstays at various Chinese festivals and celebrations.
Risks
The lanterns are generally made of paper and supported by a light metal or bamboo frame. When a flame is lit - usually a small candle - the hot air causes the lantern to expand like a balloon and take to the sky. The lantern will drift back down to the ground once the flame weakens. However, it is very possible the flame will not be fully extinguished by the time it lands.
Although the fire hazard has become the most vocal argument for stricter regulation, some have warned of other risks associated with sky lanterns. Critics have pointed out that they can be a hazard to aircrafts. Farmers and agricultural groups, meanwhile, have voiced particular concerns about the potential consequences of the waste material left behind by expired lanterns.
Groups including the National Farmers Union and Royal Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals have emphasised the dangers to livestock if they consume the metal or wooden frames of the lanterns. Some farmers report their cattle have been killed as a result of lantern waste.
In a BBC report, farmer Hugh Rowlands said one of his cows “had actually eaten part of the lantern and the fine wire inside it had punctured her oesophagus. So she'd in effect spent a long, painful 48 hours suffocating on her own feed”.
As a result of the various risks, the lanterns have been banned from sale in Austria, Australia, most of Germany and several other territories. On the positive side, manufacturers such as Sky Orbs have developed more environmentally friendly lanterns, with both biodegradable frames and ‘fire-proof’ bases.
In Ireland, flying Chinese lanterns is illegal without prior permission from the Irish Aviation Authority. However, as the lanterns themselves are not illegal, they are still readily available for sale. With the campaign to strictly regulate or ban sky lanterns gaining traction in the UK, it seems likely we could see the debate reignited here in the near future.
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