Dry weather sees 24 fires in the open in a week

Dry and sunny weather has seen 24 fires in open spaces over the past seven days in Shropshire.

Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service station manager Craig Jackson said there had been a long spell of dry weather, and also prolonged winds coming from the east.

"When the winds come from the east, or south, it's quite a dry wind, because it's coming across a large land mass," he said, adding that easterly winds dried out fuel for fires such as grass, gorse and shrubs.

Mr Jackson said the fire service was asking the public to stay vigilant, adding that the majority of fires in the open were caused by people.

"They're normally through barbecues, outdoor fires, cigarettes, bonfires in gardens where the hot embers can travel in the wind and start fires elsewhere," he said.

He urged people having barbecues at home to keep them away from fences and sheds, to put them out properly afterwards, and to keep hosepipes or buckets of water to hand.

Fires in the open and wildfires had an impact on the fire service, he said, explaining a fire in the open was only classed as a wildfire when it reached a certain criteria.

"Wildfires take a lot of resources and also a lot of water," he said.

He said the fire service worked with other partners such as the councils, Met Office and National Trust to identify where the fire risks were.

"We make sure we have plans in place so if we do have a large fire in those areas, we can move resources and act quickly," he said.

Incidents recorded as "fire in open" in recent weeks in Shropshire included a fire in a hedgerow caused by discarded smoking materials.

There were fires at recreation grounds, others involved fences and decking, and some fires involved bonfires and braziers and an unattended campfire. A fire in Albrighton followed hot ashes added to garden waste.

Reports of grass and undergrowth trees on fire came from several towns.

Other incidents involved hot ashes in undergrowth, two involving barbecues, and one involving a discarded tyre.

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