In 2011, Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service attended many wildfires across the county. The most serious incident was on the moors near Belmont at the end of April. The hot and dry weather meant that the moors were on fire for more than a week causing significant damage to the environment and potentially putting the lives of humans and wildlife at risk. During the bank holiday weekend at the end of April, there were times when every available firefighter in the county was fighting a wildfire.There are many things that members of the public can do to reduce the number of wildfires that we attend each year, they include:
- Avoid starting open fires in the countryside
- Only use barbecues in suitable and safe areas and never leave them unattended
- Keep young children and ball games away from barbecues
- Take extra care with the disposal of lighted cigarettes, particularly from moving vehicles or in moorland or countryside areas.
- Never throw cigarette ends out of car windows – they can ruin whole fields of crops
- Ensure that your barbecue is fully extinguished and cold before disposing of the contents
- Sunlight shining through glass can start large
- Take extra care with rubbish disposal – try not to accumulate rubbish in or around their property.
- Do not leave bottles or glass in woodlands
The involvement of the public is a vital factor in preventing the damage that wildfires can cause. Early reporting of a fire is essential and anyone seeing a fire should dial 999 to notify the Fire Service and provide fire control with landmarks that can help the firefighters find the fire..
Walkers can act as a useful fire watch and give early notice of the danger particularly if carrying a mobile phone. Accurate information on the location with map reference or bearing can save precious time.
For more information, please look through a PowerPoint presentation on wildfires.
To view the video that is at the end of the presentation, click here.