Demand continues to soar along with temperatures in Staffordshire

We’re continuing to experience significant demand in Staffordshire in the wake of the hot weather spell.

Crews have been working extremely hard to tackle a number of different incidents over the last few weeks, including accidental wildfires, water rescues and deliberate outdoor fires.

Most recently, a number of firefighters tackled a deliberate wildfire that stretched across a distance of about 45 by 20 metres in Lichfield yesterday (Thursday 26 June). On this occasion, no one was injured, but these fires pose a significant risk to people living and working locally during the dry weather period.

In another recent incident, our water rescue unit helped a man and a woman who had fell from a 40-foot incline in Stafford.

Head of Prevent and Protect, Ian Read, said: “Last week, we were working at double the usual demand in responding to outdoor fires in Staffordshire. With the warm weather expected to continue this weekend, we anticipate more busy days ahead for emergency services in Staffordshire.

“Knowing how to limit the risk of accidental fires outside or speaking to someone about the dangers of starting deliberate fires can make a monumental difference to your safety and the workload of our crews.

“By working together and taking proactive steps to protect our community, we can all work collectively to make sure we enjoy the warm weather safely and responsibly.”

Here’s a number of ways you can help prevent accidental fires:

• Never throw cigarette ends out of car windows
• Make sure cigarettes are put out properly and disposed of in dedicated bins
• Take your rubbish home or put it in a nearby bin
• Don’t leave glass bottles lying on the ground. Sunlight shining through glass can start a fire
• Don’t have open fires or BBQs in the countryside – they can easily set fire to the ground and spread
• Keep matches and lighters out of children and young peoples' reach and talk to them about the dangers of starting fires outside.

For more tips on how to stop the chances of outdoor fires happening in your area, visit our website here