Burnham-On-Sea firefighters tackled a grass and hedge fire in East Brent on Monday evening (July 9th), caused by a fly tipper setting some rubbish alight.
One appliance from Burnham-On-Sea was called out at 5pm to the blaze in a field just off the A38 in East Brent, as pictured here.
“Once in attendance we found that someone had been fly tipping in the field and then set fire to it,” a fire spokesman told Burnham-On-Sea.com.
“As it has been very dry for the last few weeks and with a strong wind, it didn’t take long to ignite the grass and hedges.”
“Crews extinguished the fire using a high-pressure hose reel jet and beaters.”
Around 100 square metres of land was scorched, but crews managed to stop it spreading.
The incident comes as Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service warns walkers and campers to be mindful of the impact and damage that a wildfire has on the environment.
These fires can be very dangerous as they spread fast and can change direction in an instance.
Alan Gilson, Community Safety Prevention Manager, said: “We want people to be able to enjoy the countryside, but ask them to be vigilant during drier weather to help prevent more wild fires in the future.”
“A change in wind direction can cause the fire to spread rapidly, putting fire fighters at risk as well as nearby people and property.”
He added that top tips to avoid a wildfire starting are: to extinguish cigarettes and other smoking materials properly; never throw cigarette ends out of car windows; don’t leave bottles or glass in woodlands – sunlight shining through glass can start fires; avoid using open fires in the countryside; if you see a fire in the countryside, report it immediately.
Alan added: “Some fires are clearly started deliberately – and we would ask the public to report any suspicious behaviour to the police immediately. You can contact the Police on 101 or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.”
