Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue relaunch wildfire prevention campaign
It comes following a large blaze in Verwood last week
Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service are reminding people to stay safe this summer as they relaunch their Wildfire Prevention Campaign.
In 2023 the service attended 510 fires in the open with a spike of over 900 in 2022.
Residents and those visiting popular beauty spots across the county this summer are now being asked to pack a picnic and not a BBQ to reduce the risks.
Disposable barbecues being left behind when still hot are a known cause of heath and forest fires, as are campfires.
Area Manager Marc House, Head of Prevention at DWFRS said:
“Firefighters, Control room operators and all staff from across Dorset & Wiltshire (along with a range of partners) who supported the Wareham Forest fire and more recently the Canford Heath fire, worked extremely hard to bring these incidents to a safe conclusion. These incidents highlight just how devastating, and resource intensive, wildfires are.
With nice weather hopefully on the way, it is only natural to want to go outdoors and enjoy it with friends and family, but it is also important to stay fire-aware when out and about. The idea behind the #BringAPicnicNotABBQ campaign is to remind those enjoying our countryside that bringing a picnic is a much safer option than having a barbecue.”
More information on how you can stay safe and enjoying outside areas whilst avoiding starting a wildfire can be found here.