The Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service are reminding Islanders about the risks of grass fires, as temperatures continue to soar with a significant lack of rain in recent weeks.
Grass fires can get out of hand very quickly, cause extensive damage and put lives at risk. They can also last for several days once a fire takes hold using up valuable Fire Service resources which could be needed elsewhere.
Every year fire is responsible for the destruction of thousands of acres of countryside, open spaces and wildlife habitat with some fires lasting several days.
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.
More information about The Countryside Code can be found here.
