The fire risk posed by Chinese lanterns has again been highlighted following a near miss at a house in Wells on Bonfire Night.
Fire crews were called out to a home in Lethbridge Road at 8pm on Monday night after one of the lanterns had landed on its roof.
Firefighters said the lantern was out on arrival, but warned that other homeowners may not be as lucky in the future.
"Chinese lanterns can look spectacular, but once airborne they cannot be controlled and create a very real risk fire risk," said a Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service spokesman.
"The service would like to remind you that the potential fire risk when setting off a lantern is very high.
"They can also harm livestock, wildlife as well as the environment and have even been mistaken for distress flares."
Once lit, Chinese lanterns can rise for up to 20 minutes and climb more than one mile high, where they would still be visible on a clear night until they disintegrate.
However, the fire service warns that lanterns could struggle to fly in overcast conditions and return quickly to the ground.
"In some cases embers from the fuel cell can continue to glow for several minutes after the flames have gone out and hot glowing embers can fall from the lantern as it flies potentially landing on people or animals," the service spokesman added.
"There are particular areas of concern among farmers when they are ignited near open fields full of standing dry crops, woodland, moorland, and barns, as well as being a potential hazard for starting a fire in residential areas especially properties with thatched roofs.
"The National Farmers Union has received numerous reports of harm to livestock, and in some instances death, caused by cattle ingesting the metal wires within the lantern frames, when they get mixed up in their feed.
"The danger and the repercussions of digestion are not realised until after the animal falls ill, usually ending in a slow and painful death unless destroyed by a vet.
"The small pieces of metal wire the lanterns are made of are not detectable by the metal detectors on the silage making machinery."
