Wildfires and water rescues sees demand for emergency crews is Staffordshire double as temperatures soar
Fire chiefs said deliberate outdoor blazes were among the incidents being tackled by crews during the hot weather spell- pushing up demand.
Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service said its crews have been working "extremely hard" to tackle a number of incidents in recent weeks, including accidental wildfires, water rescues and deliberate outdoor fires.
Among the latest incidents was a deliberately started grass fire in Lichfield on Thursday which was tackled by a number of firefighters. The service said on this occasion no-one was injured, but that such fires pose a significant risk to people living and working in the rea during the dry weather period.
In another incident on June 20 the water rescue unit helped a man and a woman who had fallen down a 40-foot incline off Old Acre Lane in Brocton near Stafford.
Crews were called to the woodland just after 5pm after reports that two people had suffered injuries.
Staffordshire Search and Rescue team, West Midlands Fire Service rescue teams and paramedics worked with crews to bring the man and woman to safety.
They were taken to hospital by the ambulance service.
The brigade's prevent and protect manager Ian Read said: “Last week we were working at double the usual demand in responding to outdoor fires in Staffordshire. With the warm weather expected to continue this weekend, we anticipate more busy days ahead for emergency services. Knowing how to limit the risk of accidental fires outside or speaking to someone about the dangers of starting deliberate fires can make a monumental difference to your safety and the workload of our crews.
“By working together and taking proactive steps to protect our community, we can all work collectively to make sure we enjoy the warm weather safely and responsibly.”
Residents and visitors are reminded not to never throw cigarette ends out of car windows; make sure cigarettes are put out properly and disposed of in dedicated bins; take rubbish home or put it in a nearby bin; don’t leave glass bottles on the ground as sunlight shining through glass can start a fire; don’t have open fires for barbecues in the countryside; Keep matches and lighters out of children and young people's' reach and talk to them about the dangers of starting fires outside.
