Warning following large wildfire

Firefighters are reminding people to enjoy the warm weather safely after they tackled a large wildfire in south Staffordshire.

On Saturday (2 August), five appliances and our water carrier were called to land off Church Road, Kinver following reports of a fire measuring approximately 50 by 100 metres.

Crews used backpacks, beaters and main jets to extinguish the fire and nobody was reported injured.

Following an investigation, the fire was deemed to have been caused accidentally.

Station Manager, Jordan Money, said: “The temperatures are expected to rise across Staffordshire this weekend so we are urging people to enjoy the warm weather safely.

“The dry weather significantly increases the risk of outdoor fires but being aware of the risks and following a few simple steps can make a huge difference.

“I would also like to remind people to use the ‘whatthreewords’ app when reporting incidents as it helps us pinpoint an exact location quickly and easily.”

Here are 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 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 and spread
• Keep matches and lighters out of reach of children and talk to them about the dangers of starting fires.

For more outdoor safety tips, visit Grass fire prevention.