Ranger issues barbecue warning amid wildfire risk

A wildfire on Quantock Hills was put out in April by emergency services

A ranger has alerted people to the dangers of accidentally creating wildfires in Somerset.

Andy Stevenson, a ranger for the National Landscape Team on the Quantock Hills, said there should be no barbecues or campfires on the moorland due to the fire risk.

His warning comes after a section of the Quantock Hills were set on fire in April, with fire crews having to work through the night to contain the blaze.

"Everything is tinder dry at the moment," Mr Stevenson said. "If something was to catch fire on the hills particularly, the whole place would probably go up to be honest."

Mr Stevenson said in the past two years, approximately four or five fires have been started on the Quantock Hills by barbecues and campfires that got out of hand.

The ranger said while controlled burns are carried out on the hills between December and February, they should not be confused with wildfires.

The winter fires are set for habitat management and also work as a fire prevention service, Mr Stevenson explained.

"There may be patches across the hills that you may see are black and charred immediately after the winter," he added.

"They'll very quickly recover with a damp spring, which we haven't had this year."

He said anyone who sees smoke on the Quantox between March and November should call 999.

Mr Stevenson said the area of outstanding natural beauty is currently "tinder dry"

Fire and rescue services in England and Wales have responded to 856 wildfire incidents so far this year, according to the National Fire Chiefs Council.

By the end of July, it said wildfire numbers were 663% higher than the same period in 2024 and 33% higher than the same period in 2022, which was then a record year for wildfire.

Mr Stevenson told BBC Radio Somerset's Simon Parkin that he did not want to discourage people from walking on the hills, but urged people to be mindful of their surroundings.

'Don't take a BBQ'

Ben Williams, the group commander from Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service, has also asked people to enjoy the countryside safely.

He said: "We've had a quite a dry hot summer and in these fine periods of weather we really encourage people to get outside.

"But we'd say take a picnic, don't take a barbecue.

"Effectively any open fire increases the risk of that spreading going out of control.

"It means resources have to be dragged in from right across the country.

"When we're dealing with those incidents which were entirely preventable, those resources are being diverted away from their primary role - maintaining a life."