UPDATED: A grass fire has broke out on marshland in Sandown this afternoon (Wednesday).
The Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service were called to the scene near Dinosaur Isle at just gone 17:00.
1 appliance from Ryde is on scene, but crews are struggling to access the remote area and the flames are developing.
UPDATE @ 17:52 – Firefighters have now gained access to the marshland and are fighting the fire.
Water is being drawn from the nearby lake.
Its been several years since a fire broke out on Brading Marshes. The last prompted a large turnout of appliances.
UPDATE @ 18:40 – The fire has now been extinguished, leaving charred land behind.
Follow a few simple precautions to help to prevent grass fires:
• Avoid using open fires in the countryside
• Do not leave bottles or glass in woodlands
• Keep young children and ball games away from barbecues
• Extinguish cigarettes and other smoking materials properly
• Only use barbecues in suitable and safe areas and never leave them unattended
• 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 fires – take glass bottles/jars home or put them in a waste or recycling bin
Take care when in the countryside and alert the Fire Service to fires as early as possible by calling 999. An early call could mean the difference between a small, easily controllable fire and a widespread, devastating fire.
