Dry weather sparks wildfire warning

A WARNING of a ‘very high’ risk of wildfires for parts of Oxfordshire has been issued by the Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service.

The Met Office’s Fire Severity Index (FSI), is an assessment of how severe a wildfire could become if one were to start. The index uses information such as wind speed, temperature, time of year and rainfall to produce a fire severity assessment.

The following advice about how to reduce the risk of wildfires is being given out to the public:

· Extinguish cigarettes properly and don’t throw the cigarette end on the ground.
· Never throw cigarette ends out of car windows.
· Avoid using open fires in the countryside.
· Don’t leave bottles or glass in woodland. Sunlight shining through glass can start fires. Take them home and or put them in a waste or recycling bin.
· Only use barbecues in a suitable and safe area. Never leave them unattended and make sure it is fully extinguished and cold before disposing of the contents.

What to do if you see a fire

· Report it to the Fire and Rescue Service immediately.
· Don’t attempt to tackle fires that can’t be put out with a bucket of water.
· Leave the area as quickly as possible.

Group Manager Rob MacDougall from Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service, said: “Every year, wildfires destroy thousands of acres of countryside and wildlife habitats. They also put lives and surroundings at risk. Some fires are started deliberately, but most are due to carelessness. A cigarette end thrown from a car or perhaps a bottle left behind after a picnic could start a blaze which destroys acres of fields, woodland, crops or undergrowth and with them the habitat of local wildlife.

“We are asking everyone to be extra careful during this hot dry period. Oxfordshire has some fantastic countryside and as well as enjoying it, we all need to protect it!”

Visit www.365alive.co.uk for fire safety advice. If you have a community safety question you can call the free phone community safety helpline on 08000 325 999 or email: community.safety@oxfordshire.gov.uk

Further details of the Fire Severity index can be found at http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/public/weather/fire-severity-index. The Fire Severity