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Wareham Forest fire


Date: 31st May, 2020

Update – 2:00pm, 8 June

We are currently in attendance at Wareham Forest dealing with a new fire in a new location. We have 10 fire engines and a number of other resources on scene and will be here for the rest of the day. Sugar Hill road is about to be closed and there is a significant amount of smoke in the area. Please avoid the area and if your home is affected by the smoke, please keep windows and doors closed. It is too early to confirm the cause of this fire. Further updates will follow.

Update – 4.30pm, 5 June

The incident was handed back to the Forestry Commission yesterday and we haven’t had an appliance on site since yesterday morning. We will be reinspecting the site on Monday morning providing there are no flare ups over the weekend.

We continue to ask local residents and visitors to the area to resist any activity that could lead to a fire starting. The main dangers are:

PLEASE help us by not lighting fires, having barbecues in the open or doing anything that may set alight grass, foliage, heath or woodland.

Update – 9am, 4 June

We are no longer maintaining a 24-7 watching brief, but we are still carrying out daily reinspections of the area affected by fire, in coordination with Forestry England, which is continuing to patrol and monitor the site.

Although weather conditions have cooled, there is still a significant risk of wildfire across the Dorset area and, as such, further hotspots flaring up within Wareham Forest are expected and these will be dealt with by local fire crews as they occur.

We continue to ask local residents and visitors to the area to resist any activity that could lead to a fire starting. The main dangers are:

PLEASE help us by not lighting fires, having barbecues in the open or doing anything that may set alight grass, foliage, heath or woodland.

Update – 4pm, 2 June

We are still maintaining a one appliance watching brief, due to the extreme wildfire risk. This continues to operate alongside colleagues from Foresty England, both patrolling and monitoring the site.

Where hotspots are located, additional resources are brought in as required to dampen down.

We continue to ask local residents and visitors to the area to resist any activity that could lead to a fire starting. The main dangers are:

PLEASE help us by not lighting fires, having barbecues in the open or doing anything that may set alight grass, foliage, heath or woodland.

Update – 8pm, 31 May
After several hours of damping down in multiple locations, we have resumed a one appliance watching brief, working alongside colleagues from Forestry England to patrol and monitor the site.

As the wildfire risk for the coming days remains extreme, and in light of the weather conditions, we have not yet closed this incident and it is likely we will have to return as further hotspots flare up.

We continue to ask local residents and visitors to the area to resist any activity that could lead to a fire starting. The main dangers are:

PLEASE help us by not lighting fires, having barbecues in the open or doing anything that may set alight grass, foliage, heath or woodland. Click here for our full statement.

Update – 4.30pm, 31 May

As expected given the weather conditions, there have been a number of flare-ups within the forest today and we have mobilised additional resources to the scene to assist with damping down. We already had a Land Rover pump there on a watching brief, working alongside Forestry England patrols, and have now sent another two Land Rover pumps, six fire engines, two water carriers, the Unimog from Wareham and a support unit. This will allow us to deal with multiple areas at the same time.

Update – 3.45pm, 30 May

The majority of resources on scene have now left and we are keeping a one appliance watching brief for the remainder of the weekend, working alongside colleagues from Forestry England to patrol and monitor the site.

Sugar Hill Road has now been reopened, and our thanks to Dorset Police for managing this closure.

The wildfire risk for the coming days remains extreme, and we need local residents and visitors to the area to resist any activity that could lead to a fire starting. The main dangers are:

Over the weekend, we have volunteers and firefighters patrolling other high risk areas, including Studland, Upton Heath, Ham Common, Canford Heath, Bourne Valley, Talbot Heath, Lodmoor, Lorton Meadows, Ferndown Common and Parley Common.

PLEASE help us by not lighting fires, having barbecues in the open or doing anything that may set alight grass, foliage, heath or woodland. Click here for our full statement.

Update – 10.10am, 29 May

Resources on scene have been significantly reduced and the remaining vehicles are continuing to patrol and monitor the problem areas to damping down hot spots. We have also commenced making up of some equipment we have been using.

We have talked a lot about hot spots and have put together a video to explain a bit more about what these are and why they have been causing us such problems. You can view the video here

As we begin to enter the weekend, the wildfire risk for the coming days is extreme, and we need local residents and visitors to the area to resist any activity that could lead to a fire starting. The main dangers are:

If you see a fire in the countryside, report it immediately. Do not tackle a fire yourself, unless it can be put out with a bucket of water. Please call the fire service and leave the area as soon as possible.

Update – 4.45pm, 28 May

We still have crews on scene, and expect to continue damping down through tonight and into tomorrow. The hot, dry weather means the risk of flare-ups remains high.

We would like to thank everyone who has stayed away from the area, and ask that people continue to find other places for walking, cycling or other leisure activity while the incident is on-going.

The wildfire risk for the coming days is extreme, and we need local residents and visitors to the area to resist any activity that could lead to a fire starting. The main dangers are:

PLEASE do not light fires, have barbecues in the open or do anything that may set alight grass, foliage, heath or woodland. Click here for our full statement.

Update – 4.30pm, 27 May

Although the fire is no longer spreading, crews will be on site overnight, and we expect to be there throughout tomorrow and tomorrow night to continue damping down hotspots and monitoring the perimeter.

We are asking that the public please DO NOT travel to the area for walking, cycling or other leisure activity as there are still lots of vehicle movements and hotspots. The wildfire danger is extreme at present and will be over the weekend so we are also asking the public NOT to have any barbecues, campfires or bonfires over the coming days. Please help us by not doing anything that could lead to another fire elsewhere.

Update – 4.30pm, 26 May

Crews will again remain on site overnight and we expect to continue with damping down for some days yet.  The tactical wildfire team from South Wales FRS has now returned home, which means we are no longer carrying out controlled burns to create fire breaks, and we thank them for their expertise and support.

The wildfire risk for the next few days and over the weekend is as high as it can be, so we are asking the public NOT to have any barbecues, campfires or bonfires over the coming days. Please help us by not doing anything that could lead to another fire elsewhere.

Update – 11am, 26 May

We have scaled back slightly from yesterday, with seven fire engines, nine Land Rover pumps, water carriers and high volume pumps in attendance. The priority remains damping down across the whole site, and dealing with remaining hotspots.

The weather forecast for the coming weeks means the AMBER wildfire alert will remains in place for some time yet, so we are asking the public NOT to have any barbecues, campfires or bonfires over the coming days. Please help us by not doing anything that could lead to another fire elsewhere.

Please DO NOT travel to the area for walking, cycling or other leisure activity. An area of approx. 220 hectares is now affected by the fire, so there are lots of vehicle movements, and miles of hose stretching along roads and paths. Even if an area looks safe, we cannot guarantee that it is. Firefighters are working incredibly hard, in arduous conditions, to bring this fire under control and you can help us hugely by staying away.

This fire started a week ago yesterday and is one of the worst heath/forest fires within our Service area in living memory –  click here for more.

Update – 3pm, 25 May

Today we have continued to dampen down hot spots and continue to make good progress. We currently have ten Fire engines, nine Land Rover pumps and a number of additional support appliances as well as a number of resources from Devon & Somerset Fire and Rescue Service at scene but we are confident that this will soon be scaled back.

We continue to get our water supply using the high volume pumps on scene, our own from Christchurch and the others from Devon & Somerset, Hampshire and Avon. With over five miles of hose now laid, these are enabling water to be drawn from sources some distance from the incident ground.

We would like to thank the public for following our advice and staying away from the area while remain on scene and ask that people continue to stay away.

Today we have been called to a number of other fires caused by disposable barbecues and unattended bonfires,  so we are also asking PLEASE DO NOT have any barbecues, campfires or bonfires over the coming days. Our resources are already stretched, please help us by not doing anything that could lead to another fire elsewhere.

Update – 2.45pm, 24 May

Click here for a video update from the incident ground.

Virtually every fire station in Dorset and Wiltshire has now sent firefighters to this incident at least once, and a resourcing cell is working around the clock to ensure that fire cover is maintained across the Service.

The helicopter in use yesterday has now been stood down for the time being but will be redeployed should it be needed.

We have been working with a tactical wildfire team from South Wales FRS and, under their guidance, controlled burns are being used to help control the spread of the fire. This approach widens existing fire breaks and creates new fire breaks by removing fuel from the advancing flames. Such tactical burns will be carried out overnight and until such time as they are no longer needed.

Our thanks go to Rapid Relief Team UK for providing catering and welfare earlier in the week, and to the Salvation Army, who are now looking after the crews, supported by local volunteers. We are also hugely grateful to the many businesses and individuals who have donated or offered food, drink and other support.

We expect to remain on scene for many days more. The attendance on scene will be scaled back overnight to approx. 100 firefighters, and a decision made in the morning about how many crews will be needed during tomorrow.

The weather forecast for the coming weeks means the AMBER wildfire alert will remains in place for some time yet, so we are asking the public NOT to have any barbecues, campfires or bonfires over the coming days. Our resources are stretched, please help us by not doing anything that could lead to another fire elsewhere. Click here to view the warning issued ahead of the weekend.

Update – 11am, 24 May

Once again we have maintained a significant presence on site overnight and again have more than 150 firefighters dealing with the fire today. These are drawn from across Dorset & Wiltshire and  neighbouring Fire and Rescue Services – Devon and Somerset, Hampshire, Royal Berkshire and South Wales.

The winds of yesterday have died down considerably but we continue to deal with multiple hotspots flaring up and some fire spread.

Please DO NOT travel to the area for walking, cycling or other leisure activity. An area of approx. 220 hectares is now affected by the fire, so there are lots of vehicle movements, miles of hose stretching along roads and paths, and water drops from a helicopter brought in by Forestry England. Even if an area looks safe, we cannot guarantee that it is. Firefighters are working incredibly hard, in arduous conditions, to bring this fire under control and you can help us hugely by staying away.

An AMBER wildfire alert remains in place for the weekend and into the coming week, so we are asking the public NOT to have any barbecues, campfires or bonfires over the coming days. Our resources are stretched, please help us by not doing anything that could lead to another fire elsewhere. Click here to view the warning issued ahead of the weekend.

We are continuing with heathland bike patrols monitoring Upton Heath, Canford Heath, Ham Common, Turbury Common and Kinson Common today. We are also asking anyone who’s out and about to please stay fire-aware, stay vigilant, and call 999 if you do see an unattended fire in the countryside.

Update – 3.30pm, 23 May

We have been working with a tactical wildfire team from South Wales FRS and, under their guidance, controlled burns are being used to help control the spread of the fire. This approach widens existing fire breaks and creates new fire breaks by removing fuel from the advancing flames. Such tactical burns will be carried out overnight and until such time as they are no longer needed.

Water supply at the incident has been a real challenge. We now have four high volume pumps on scene, our own from Christchurch and the others from Devon & Somerset, Hampshire and Avon. With over five miles of hose now laid, these are enabling water to be drawn from sources some distance from the incident ground.

As well as fire engines, including those suited to off-road, we have been using Land Rover pumps, the Unimog based at Wareham fire station and numerous other support vehicles. We are grateful to Royal Berkshire FRS for sending its Pinzgauer, a 6×6 wheel drive light firefighting vehicle, which is proving invaluable off-road.

Update – 2.30pm, 23 May

Forestry England took the decision yesterday afternoon (22 May) to support the Fire and Rescue Service by bringing in a specialist helicopter to help fight the fire from the air. The specific helicopter being used is a Eurocopter AS350 Squirrel and is operated by a commercial company with considerable experience in working with Forestry England on  airborne firefighting.

The helicopter is using a bucket which can hold up to 1,000 litres of water and drop this with great precision on the fire, as directed by the fire teams on the ground. It can drop water on specific hot spots or fly past in an arc motion to spread the water across a wider area.

The helicopter will continue to be used as needed and as directed by the fire service control team on the scene.

Update – 10am, 23 May

We have maintained a significant presence on site overnight and again have more than 150 firefighters in attendance today, drawn from across Dorset and Wiltshire, and also from neighbouring Fire and Rescue Services.

The strong winds of yesterday, which are continuing today, present a huge risk and have led to multiple hotspots flaring up and some fire spread.

Please DO NOT travel to the area for walking, cycling or other leisure activity. An area of approx. 200 hectares is now affected by the fire, so there are lots of vehicle movements, miles of hose stretching along roads and paths, and water drops from a helicopter brought in by Forestry England. Even if an area looks safe, we cannot guarantee that it is. Firefighters are working incredibly hard, in arduous conditions, to bring this fire under control and you can help us hugely by staying away.

An AMBER wildfire alert remains in place for the weekend, so we are also asking PLEASE DO NOT have any barbecues, campfires or bonfires over the coming days. Our resources are already stretched, please help us by not doing anything that could lead to another fire elsewhere. Click here to view the warning issued ahead of the weekend.

We have heathland bike patrol volunteers out monitoring Upton Heath, Canford Heath, Ham Common, Turbury Common and Kinson Common today. We are also asking anyone who’s out and about to please stay fire-aware, stay vigilant, and call 999 if you do see an unattended fire in the countryside.

Click here for archived updates on this incident for 18-22 May 2020.

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