Wildfire conditions as bad as prior to Wareham Forest fire
Firefighters are warning it wouldn't take much for a fire to quickly spread out of control
Last updated 13th Jul 2022
Conditions for a wildfire to spread out of control are the same if not worse than they were before the Wareham Forest fire, according to fire fighters.
If a fire were to start, high temperatures and high humidity could see it spread far very quickly.
We met fire fighter Charlie Pack at ground zero for the 2020 wildfire. It was raining slightly when we asked if that was a good sign. He said it wouldn't make much difference in temperatures like the county is seeing this week.
He said:
"We work on a 30 30 30 rule when predicting wildfire. That can be temperatures up to 30C, wind speeds up to 30mph and humidity of 30.
"We're expecting over the weekend temperatures in excess of 30 and that alone could mean we could possibly have a wildfire situation that we couldn't control.
"In 2020 we had lower ambient temperatures but what we did have was an open ignition source from a barbecue which started the fire and the wind direction drove that fire.
"What we could be dealing with over this heatwave period are effectively conditions that could just mean that wildfire could instantly start and we would really struggle to control it."
A new PSPO order has been put in place to fine anyone using a barbecue or open fire in the open here.
Charlie said:
"Our message to people is 'Please go out and enjoy the open spaces, enjoy the countryside around Dorset but do it in a mindful way. Don't use open fires, don't use barbecues. Take your picnic with you, take your packaging home with you.
"Enjoy that open space in a responsible way on the understanding that the majority of fires that start in open spaces are as a result of people using naked flames, barbecues and open fires."