FIRE safety advice is to be handed out in mosques around Burnley after a rise in fires in areas with a large Asian population.

Fire bosses will also take out messages in a local mag-azine to try and tackle the problem, discovered follow-ing analysis of recent fires in the town.

The figures show an increase in cooking-related fires in Briercliffe, Daneshouse with Stoneyholme, Gannow, Rosehill and Burnley Wood, compared to the previous 12 months.

A spokesman for Lancashire Fire and Rescue’s fire safety department said: “A joint initiative has been agreed with Lancashire Council of Mosques whereby a series of articles relating to accidental house fires and, in particular, cooking-related fires and home fire safety checks will be published in The Minaret magazine.

“The magazine is distributed to over 70 mosques across Lancashire and community centres covering a population of 70,000 Muslims.

“Over the next year, key fire safety messages will appear in the magazine on a quarterly basis.

"Additionally, an e-mail address has been set up for feedback, referrals and queries relating to fire safety.”

As well as targeting people through the magazine, fire officers will be holding advice surgeries and presentations on cooking safely to reduce the number of fires in Muslim households.