Crews warn of increasing fires in Cambridgeshire

A fire service says it is tackling an increasing number of fires and has shared safety advice for residents.

Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service said its crews attended 262 fires in July, compared with 187 in July 2024.

A spokesperson said the average number of fires in a month, across the last five years, was 225.

Group commander James Ball, head of community safety, said: "Preventing fires through education and awareness is always our priority, but seeing this trend continue over the last few months is concerning."

The last 12 months represented a 20% increase in fires, the service said, and there had been a 10% increase in house fires.

Mr Ball said kitchen fires typically started because people were distracted while cooking and because of items being left on hobs.

Earlier this month, several bales were set on fire in a field in Ramsey

In July, there were 165 outdoor fires in the county, an increase of more than 75 per cent compared with the same month last year.

Scientists have warned of the increasing likelihood of wildfires due to climate change.

Sixty-fire of the outdoor fires in July were deliberate, however, and Mr Ball said parents could also "play a big role by talking to their children about the dangers".