DRIVERS have been urged not to put themselves at risk by hoarding fuel and keeping it in inappropriate containers after footage has emerged online of one person using plastic bags. 

Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue area manager Seth Why described what he's seeing as 'very scary' and explained that petrol is highly volatile and anyone storing high quantities of it is putting themselves and potentially the fire service at risk

"Yeah it’s very scary, I would like to urge the public not to try and stockpile petrol and diesel, particularly with petrol it's got an explosive risk, it’s heavier than air and even just a very lean mixture in the air can cause a flashover if you’ve got an ignition source. 

"That, added to risks of leaks from petrol if it’s not stored in proper containers, we really don’t want the pubic to start doing this.

"There are people put there that have proper containers for their lawnmowers, if you want to store some fuel then I would think that would be about the appropriate amount you need to keep in your garage.

"Anything more than that, I just don’t see the need for it at the minute, the risk is too great for the public and the firefighters who may have to come into that building or property to put out a fire."

With the panic buying of fuel continuing and the closing of petrol stations over the last few days, people will be worried that emergency services are likely to be impacted.

But Seth has offered some reassurance that the fire service has enough fuel.

"Let me reassure the public there is no impact at the moment to the fire service, all of our 50 fire engines across our 70 fire stations are fueled and ready should an emergency arise," he said.

"Our fire engines do attend some of the larger supermarkets that let us with with a height restriction.

"We do have our own strategic fuel bunkers where we can get fuel from."