Warning issued following large grass fire

Firefighters are urging people to take care in the sun following an increase in outdoor fires across Staffordshire.

Over the weekend, (12 and 13 July), fire crews tackled more than 30 outdoor fires, putting a significant strain on resources.

Just after 1pm on Saturday (12 July), six appliances attended a wildfire measuring around 100 by 50 metres on land off Caraway Drive, Branston.

Thankfully, nobody was injured but the blaze has caused significant damage to grass, shrubbery and a disused rail line.

Station Manager Andrew Bourne, who attended the scene, said: “We are experiencing extremely high demand in Staffordshire recently, mainly due to the recent hot spell.

“The dry weather significantly increases the risk of outdoor fires but knowing how to limit this risk and being aware of the dangers of starting deliberate fires can make a huge difference to public safety and the workload of our firefighters.

“By working together, we can manage the amount of resources used on a daily basis across Staffordshire and ensure we all enjoy the warm weather safely.”

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.