Date: 16th July, 2026
Since the beginning of 2026, Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service has attended 382 incidents involving grassland, woodland, or crops.
Although many outdoor fires may initially appear relatively small, they can spread rapidly during prolonged periods of hot, dry weather and often require significant resources to bring under control. These incidents can last for several hours, or even days, requiring multiple fire engines, specialist equipment, and additional personnel, resulting in substantial operational costs.
While we have robust arrangements in place to maintain emergency cover across Dorset and Wiltshire, responding to an increasing number of these incidents places growing pressure on our people, equipment, and finances.
Assistant Chief Fire Officer Dave Waters said: “The financial impact of large outdoor fires is significant. The last two Major Incidents attended by DWFRS involving outdoor fires each cost in excess of £500,000 to respond to.
“This reflects what is becoming the new normal. Fire and rescue services are adapting to risks that look very different from those we faced even a decade ago, with prolonged periods of hot, dry weather increasing the frequency and severity of large outdoor fires. What was once considered exceptional is increasingly routine.
“The conversations already taking place around fire service funding, including greater flexibility around council tax precepts are welcomed, and we are grateful to local MPs and the public for helping raise awareness of the pressures facing the sector. As the risks we face continue to evolve, it is vital that national funding arrangements evolve too, ensuring fire and rescue services have the resources they need to continue protecting the communities they serve.”
The Service continues to encourage everyone to play their part in preventing avoidable fires. Many heath, field and grass fires are preventable, and every fire that doesn’t start helps protect our countryside, wildlife, local communities and the emergency resources that may be needed elsewhere.