Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service has issued another urgent warning against garden fires as crews dealt with two large-scale field fires in the county.
The service said its control room had continued to receive reports of people lighting fires in their gardens on Thursday afternoon, August 13, despite repeated appeals during the prolonged spell of hot and dry weather.
Tinder-dry grass and vegetation mean flames can spread rapidly, putting lives and property at risk while drawing firefighters away from other emergencies.
A spokesperson for Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service said: “Whilst your firefighters have been dealing with two large-scale field fires in Nottinghamshire this afternoon, our control room has been getting reports of people having garden fires.
“We are incredibly busy right now due to the protracted hot weather and tinder-dry ground.
“It’s beyond disappointing to hear that people are continuing to ignore our requests not to have garden fires, which, in these conditions, are highly likely to grow out of control.
“Not only does this put people and property at risk, it can tie up our resources.”
The warning follows a series of serious outdoor fires across Nottinghamshire during the past week.
Around 36,000 square metres of woodland and undergrowth were affected by a large wildfire at Strawberry Hill Heath, where eight fire engines and several specialist units were deployed.
Six fire crews and a water carrier also attended a forest fire at Sherwood Pines on Sunday, August 9.
On the same day, the cumulative pressure from several incidents led the fire service to declare a major incident because of limited resources and reduced fire engine availability.
Other recent incidents include a field fire near Tithby, started when a foil balloon became caught in an overhead electricity line, and a blaze which sent smoke across the A1 and forced the southbound carriageway to close.
The fire service is asking people to follow four precautions:
• Do not light garden fires
• Pack a picnic rather than using a barbecue
• Dispose of cigarettes carefully
• Take rubbish home, particularly glass bottles
People should continue to call 999 immediately if they see a fire.
