Michael shares this latest news on behalf of the Countryside and Land Business Association (CLA). Ed
With forecasters predicting a mini heatwave in the South East over the upcoming bank holiday weekend, CLA South East is calling on the public to take extra care in the countryside as the warm, dry conditions could elevate chances of wildfires.
August bank holiday record
According to current forecasts, much of the South East will experience temperatures of up to 30 degrees over the next week, with bookmakers cutting the odds on Monday setting an August bank holiday record from 3-1 to 2-1.
Wildfires have the capability to devastate farmland, wildlife and also pose a risk to the lives of people living and working in rural and adjacent communities.
Wildfires can be prevented
They can be prevented by not discarding cigarettes or other smoldering material.
The same can be said for litter as quite often bottles and shards of glass can spark a fire.
The risk of disposable barbeques
Some CLA members have highlighted the increased fire risk associated with disposable barbeques that are used in the countryside, urging the visiting public not to barbeque in rural areas.
Barbeques should only take place in sheltered areas well away from combustible material, and properly extinguished afterwards.
Sky lanterns
The CLA has also long called for the ban on sky lanterns as these pose a serious risk of fire, especially in the countryside.
At present the Government is unwilling to introduce a ban as they do not consider the dangers significant enough, despite animal deaths and fires as a result of sky lanterns.
CLA South East represents thousands of landowners, farmers and rural businesses in Kent, Hampshire, Surrey, Sussex, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and the Isle of Wight.
Bamford: Appeal for public to be extra vigilant
Acting Regional Director Tim Bamford said:
“Wildfires can have significant impacts on communities, landscapes and wildlife, and we appeal to the public to be extra vigilant when out and about in the countryside.
“Please take litter home, use common sense and keep an eye out.”
If you see a wildlife
What to do:
- Do not try and tackle the fire yourself.
- Call 999 and request the fire service.
- Give an accurate location of the fire e.g. Name of the nearest road, access points, visible land marks (pubs, farms, power lines etc), locally known names, and map grid references.
- Move to a safe area and contact the local land manager if possible.
- If the fire is in a remote area, please meet emergency services at the access point so that you can guide them to the location.
Avoid doing
What not to do:
- Don’t discard cigarettes.
- Don’t have BBQs in unauthorised areas.
- Never leave a BBQ unattended.
- Don’t discard rubbish – particularly reflective materials.
- Don’t burn off garden rubbish during hot periods or if you live close to woodland.
- Don’t have bonfires on hot days or during prolonged periods of dry weather.
For more information about the CLA and its work, visit www.cla.org.uk and follow @CLASouthEast on Twitter.
Image: usfwssoutheast under CC BY 2.0
