Fire-ravaged villagers living in fear of wildfires

Fear of wildfires still lives with some villagers after their homes were destroyed three years ago, a parish councillor said.

About 20 homes were either destroyed or badly damaged in Ashill, Norfolk, in July 2022 when fire from a nearby field spread.

The county's fire service has logged about two dozen fires in open spaces since March this year and has urged people to be careful as the hot, dry weather provided "ideal conditions" for them to spread.

Ashill councillor Alan Ketteringham echoed the warning, saying the "devastating fires" had a "lasting impact" on some residents.

Three years ago fire swept through the village, near Swaffham, and as "Ashill was just black smoke", residents were told to evacuate and many were left homeless.

This spring's recent dry spell, with higher temperatures forecast, has brought a warning from Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service.

The county council issued the warning last week, saying: "In March, [crews] attended 17 fires in the open, which is higher than usual for this time of year."

More have since been recorded on the fire service incident log.

Simon Mason, group manager for operational response at the fire service, said there was a "general increase" in the number of fires in the open and most were "unfortunate accidents".

A lack of moisture, coupled with leaf fall from trees resulted in "ideal conditions for the potential for rapid-spread wildfire".

He urged people to dispose of smoking materials carefully and ensure barbecues had cooled properly before being disposed of.

He also warned against discarding bottles as he said it did not take long for glass to "magnify the sun's rays and spark a fire".

However, he said the service had a "summer readiness plan that was always tried and tested and ready to go" and that all vehicles were equipped with misting devices to "specifically deal with wildfires".

Misting support vehicles allow firefighters spray water mist, which helps "extinguish and control fires".

He said the service had also invested in four more specialist wildfire vehicles in the past year, bringing the total covering the county to 10.

Mr Ketteringham recalled the 2022 blaze as "absolutely devastating".

"It was something no-one expected and it came from nowhere," he said.

"People get very jittery and the people backing on to the fields where it happened are always vigilant and it's had a lasting impact on people."

The fact no-one was injured was "the only good thing".

Some residents did not move back to their houses as "their children were traumatised by the idea of a fire coming".

"Many just want to move on and try to forget," the parish chairman added.

He urged people to take care and not discard anything potentially hazardous in the open.

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