AN URGENT warning by Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service (HWFRS), urging people not to drop litter after teams were called to around 80 ‘fires in the open’ across the two counties in just five days.
People have been advised not to discard cigarettes, glass, clear plastic, cans and anything else that could possibly ignite foliage during the continued dry conditions.
HWFRS Group Commander Thom Morgan, responsible for ‘protection’, said: “Litter continues to be dropped in large quantities despite the many reminders we’ve issued about the dangers this causes.
“We’ve seen how easily fires can be ignited and take hold over very wide areas in just a few minutes, with their huge impact on people’s safety and property.
“I would urge people not to discard litter of any kind, and above all please don’t take disposable barbecues out into the countryside. Have fun on our open spaces but please behave responsibly and remove all litter, either by disposing of it in official waste bins or taking it home with you.”
The Met Office this week set its Fire Severity Index (FSI) to Level 4 ‘very high’ and it is predicted to rise to an ‘exceptional’ Level 5 by Friday and into the weekend.
The FSI shows the current day’s fire severity and a forecast of likely fire severity over the coming five days.
With further heatwave conditions likely this week, there is no sign of the significant rainfall needed by the parched ground on open spaces.
Mr Morgan added: “We’re grateful to the public for their support on this. Above all, stay safe.”
Visit hwfire.org.uk/safety-and-advice/ for more details on fire safety.
