Pack picnics to prevent wildfires, visitors urged

Snakes perished and nightjar nests were destroyed in wildfires last summer

People are being asked to pack picnics instead of having campfires and barbecues when visiting Surrey’s countryside, to help prevent heathland wildfires.

The RSPB and Surrey Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) made the appeal after Met Office data showed last year was the world’s hottest on record.

This year could also see high temperatures, with a risk of heatwaves linked to climate change, the RSPB said.

SFRS said warm weather increased the fire risk - but most of the time the spark that started a wildfire was linked to activity by people.

Heathlands are open spaces with low-growing plants such as heather and gorse

SFRS rural affairs officer Marli Holland said: “The majority of wildfires start with human intervention, whether that’s carelessness or a deliberate act.”

Mark Crisp, RSPB warden at Farnham Heath, said: “Even a glass drinks bottle left in dry heather, grasses or leaves can start a fire on a sunny day. And a discarded cigarette end can quickly turn into a blaze.

“All it takes is a gust of wind to carry the spark a short distance.”

Wildlife vulnerable to fire includes ground-nesting birds such as the nightjar

Heathland wildlife particularly vulnerable to fire includes sand lizards and adders, which bask on bare ground, green tiger beetles and endangered field crickets, and ground-nesting heathland birds including the Dartford warbler, woodlark, nightjar, tree pipit and stonechats.

Smooth snakes perished and nightjar nests were destroyed by wildfires at Frensham and Thursley commons last year.

The RSPB website describes heathland as open space, made up of low-growing plants, like heather, gorse, broom and grasses, and now mostly protected by law.

People have been asked to:

• Not have open fires or use barbecues in the countryside

• Check what is and is not allowed because barbecues and campfires are banned at many sites

• Extinguish smoking materials and not to throw cigarette ends on the ground or out of windows

• Report any fires immediately to prevent them from developing into large wildfires

About 10 hectares of land was burnt at Frensham Common this time last year