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We know that proposing fire station closures will not be a welcome decision for our communities or staff.
However, the Fire & Rescue Authority has a statutory duty to set a balanced revenue budget. Our underlying funding position, specifically the recent finance settlement received from central Government, does not provide a sufficient level of funding for the Service to continue to operate as it is.
We are proposing the closure of eight fire stations across Dorset and Wiltshire, four in each county. No decisions have been made yet and, before anything happens, we want to hear what you think.
Take a look at the individual station pages for details of our consultation events. Please do get involved and share your views via our survey.
A consultation leaflet can be viewed below, or downloaded as PDF using this link.
Why are changes being proposed?
Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Authority must provide a fire and rescue service that keeps people safe. To help us do this well, we regularly check how our service is working so we can use public money responsibly.
Over the past three years, we have looked at:
- how many incidents each station responds to;
- how removing a station might affect response times;
- how close each station is to another;
- how often on‑call fire engines are available; and
- how quickly nearby stations can help if needed.
From this first review, eight stations were identified for a closer look: Bradford on Avon, Charmouth, Cranborne, Hamworthy, Maiden Newton, Mere, Ramsbury and Wilton.
In the detailed analysis that followed (using data from 2019–2024), we investigated:
- how busy each station is;
- how fast and how often crews can respond;
- the financial impact of closing a station;
- whether nearby stations could cover the area;
- current and future risks in each community; and
- how our Service can meet changing needs.
The aim of these proposals is to strengthen the overall Service, use money wisely, and make sure we can continue to keep people safe across Dorset and Wiltshire.
What this doesn’t mean
We understand that talking about closing fire stations can be worrying, but want to reiterate that these proposals are not final decisions. We want to make sure we have listened to everyone before anything changes.
How to share your views
The public consultation is open from Friday 13 February to Friday 15 May 2026.
You can take part by:
Attending a public or online meeting
We’re holding a meeting in every town or village affected, plus online sessions. Each station’s meeting details can be found here:
Completing the consultation questionnaire
Take the Survey
An independent organisation, Premier Advisory Group, is running the consultation and will write a full report for the Fire Authority. A final decision will be made by elected Members on Tuesday 30 June 2026.
Further information
To view the papers for the Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Authority meeting, which took place on 10th February, click here.