Campaign’s aim is to reduce summer fire risk
ENCOURAGING islanders to be fire conscious during the summer is the focus of a new collaborative campaign.
BeFireSmart encourages islanders to think before they burn, throw or bin.
The campaign has been launched by the Fire & Rescue Service and Agriculture, Countryside and Land Management Services, which is part of the Environment & Infrastructure committee.
‘Last year the public were very conscious of advice following our plea for a voluntary fire ban and we saw a reduction in the number of serious fires we had to attend.
‘However, this year we wanted to get ahead and put fire safety into people’s minds before the weather heats up,’ said chief fire officer Jon Le Page.
‘We’d like people to think before they light a bonfire, which could smoulder underground for over a day after the fire has been put out.’
Hot and dry weather last summer led to an increase in the number of wildfires and burns which grew out of control.
But islanders largely followed a voluntary ban on fires and beach barbecues.
‘We’d like people to think before throwing a hot disposable barbecue in a plastic litter bin and before they flick a cigarette butt into a dry hedgerow,’ said Mr Le Page.
‘If, as a community, we come together and keep these things in our minds, we can avoid fire starting which can easily get out of control.
‘We want people to be able to enjoy the summer, but we also want people to keep our islands safe.’
The fire service was called to 48 fires last summer, of which 30 were related to hot weather.
More than half were as the result of a bonfire, four were from the use of a disposable BBQ, three from carelessly discarded cigarettes. Other causes were children playing with fire, spontaneous ignition of compost and hot works on adjacent building.
After introducing the voluntary bans last year, the fire service was called out 11 times by people concerned that they were being disregarded. In each case, firefighters found burning or BBQs which were under control and offered advice.
‘It just takes one of us to light a bonfire in a bone-dry field or to throw a glass bottle into a hedge on a cliff path for a fire to start, and if they are not caught quickly they can cause damage that affects our environment for years,’ said ACLMS natural environment officer Emily Coule.
