It’s been a summer of record-breaking heat and tinder-dry landscapes – and for Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service (DWFRS), that has meant one thing: wildfires.
Since January, crews have been called to more than 900 grassland, woodland and crop fires – already matching their worst-ever year, 2022, with several months still to go. For the firefighters on the ground, it has been exhausting work in sweltering heat, often with little rest between call-outs.
Chief Fire Officer Andy Cole didn’t mince his words:
“This summer has been one of the most challenging for wildfires that we’ve ever faced. Our firefighters have been working around the clock in arduous conditions, often for days at a time, to protect lives, homes, and our natural environment.”
One of the most serious incidents unfolded at Holt Heath in Dorset, where a major incident was declared and national resources had to be drafted in to help contain the blaze. But as Cole pointed out, the problem isn’t just the number of fires – it’s the funding to deal with them.
“We are already facing the possibility of having to close fire stations to address the deficit we currently hold – and that’s before new Government proposals are even considered,” he said. “If implemented, they could see 2,300 firefighter posts lost nationally. That would leave Services like ours even worse off.”
At present, three-quarters of DWFRS’s budget comes from council tax, with households contributing an average of just £1.76 per week. Cole argues that if the Service was allowed to raise that to £1.95, it could make a “significant difference” in securing a sustainable future.
While the funding row rumbles on, the Service is urging the public to play their part in reducing risks. That means leaving barbecues at home, extinguishing smoking materials properly, not discarding rubbish, and reporting any countryside fire to 999 immediately rather than trying to tackle it yourself.
Disposable barbecues and campfires are already banned in many parts of Dorset, and people are reminded that even something as small as a cigarette butt can set dry scrub alight in seconds. Beachgoers are also being told not to light flares or fires on cliffs where gorse and grasses can ignite quickly.
For landowners, the advice is to keep fire breaks maintained and clear of cut grasses.
Cole’s closing message was simple:
“We’re calling on everyone to do their part. Even the smallest actions can prevent a devastating wildfire from starting.”
More details on countryside fire safety can be found at www.dwfire.org.uk/heath-fires-and-countryside-safety
