Fire service wildfire plea as heatwave continues

Group commander Dave Swallow standing in the aftermath of a moorland fire

People have been asked to help prevent wildfires, as the country faces another heatwave, with the possibility of a further hot spell before the end of summer.

Dave Swallow, a group commander at Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service, said 2023-24 had seen wet summers with a lot of vegetation growth, but this year it had been "incredibly dry right through spring and summer".

Mr Swallow, who is one of the National Fire Chiefs Council's tactical advisors on wildfire, said that vegetation was now essentially "fuel" and "ready to burn".

He urged people to be vigilant and not to have any campfires or garden bonfires, which could quickly get out of hand.

"In the UK, the majority of wildfires that occur are caused by some sort of human interaction with the environment, whether that's accidental or deliberate," he said.

"The best the public can do at the moment is not do anything to increase our workload."

Mr Swallow said there were nearly 1,000 wildfires in 2022 across England and Wales, adding that fire services were "well on track to pass that number" this year.

He said there were 856 fires across England and Wales by Wednesday and more had been reported in the past 48 hours.

On Thursday, a major wildfire broke out on the Shropshire-Staffordshire border with 13 fire crews deployed.

The fire involved about two hectares (five acres) of field and woodland, and had been spreading towards a property, but was later brought under control, crews said.

Staffordshire, Shropshire, and Hereford and Worcester fire services tackled the blaze together.