Fire service appeals for care ahead of controlled burn season

by Featured NewsSafety

With the UK’s heather and grass burning season due to begin on 1 October, firefighters are urging farmers, landowners and residents across the region to remember to take extra care and to ensure they notify the fire and rescue service if they are undertaking any burning on their land.

The Code dictates that burning is allowed only between 1 October 31 March in upland areas and between 1 November and 15 March elsewhere.

Dave Hughes, Head of Fire Safety for North Wales Fire and Rescue Service, said: “Many farmers will be taking the opportunity to undertake controlled burning of heather, grass, bracken and gorse on their land now the controlled burning season has started – we understand the need for this but we want to highlight the importance of following the Heather and Grass Burning Code and of notifying us before conducting any controlled burn.

“As well as farmers, we are aware that householders sometimes burn rubbish or unwanted items on their land, often in their back garden. We advise against this practice and I would issue a word of caution – fires can spread quickly and they can be extremely unpredictable. We would appeal to residents to dispose of their waste responsibly and use local authority waste sites where possible.  If you must burn, then please do so responsibly, ensuring that suitable control measures are in place, and consider the potential effect on neighbouring properties.

“Every year during controlled burning season we are called to countless false alarms and controlled burns which have spread, resulting in land and property being destroyed and damage to the ecology of our landscapes – as well as tying up our resources which could be put to better use elsewhere.

“We therefore urge anyone undertaking controlled burning to notify us first by calling our control room to help avoid false alarms and fire crews being sent out unnecessarily.

“We are asking everyone to be responsible when it comes to controlled burning. Please work with us to help keep our communities safe.”

North Wales Fire and Rescue Service issued the following guideline for anyone planning to undertake controlled burns:

  • Call NWFRS’s control room on 01931 522006 to notify them of the time and location of the burn
  • Ensure you have sufficient people and equipment to control the fire
  • Check wind direction and ensure there is no risk to property, roads and wildlife
  • If a fire gets out of control contact the fire and rescue service immediately giving details of location and access
  • Always ensure a fire is completely out before you leave it and check the next day to ensure it has not reignited
  • Remember – It is illegal to leave a fire unattended or to have too few people to control it.

North American Firefighters prepare for worsening fire forecast

by Americas - Breaking NewsBreaking News

Nearly 3,000 firefighters in North America are preparing for a worsening fire forecast in the days ahead as the country’s largest wildfire reached a temporary standstill in northern Mexico on Tuesday night due to light rain and snow in the mountains

The ongoing wildfire burning for in New Mexico has become the largest in the Southwestern state’s recorded history and it forced the evacuation of a small ski resort and villages in drought-hit mountains east of Santa Fe.

Fire officials in New Mexico said they planned to continue to clear flammable vegetation and deploy aircraft to douse smoldering forests before windier, hotter, drier conditions return this weekend.

Forest Service fire behavior analyst Stewart Turner predicted that by Friday: “Fire weather starts to enter the critical stage where we’ll probably see more growth and fire moving.”

Controlled burns put on hold

The U.S. Forest Service (USFS) on Friday called a temporary nationwide halt to controlled burns meant to reduce fire risk after the agency accidentally started part of New Mexico’s largest ever wildfire, having burned over 300,000 acres (123,000 hectares), destroyed up to 1,500 properties and displaced tens of thousands of people.

Forest Service Chief Randy Moore said fire danger levels were too high to use prescribed fire and ordered a 90-day review of policies before operations planned for this fall.

“Lessons learned and any resulting program improvements will be in place prior to resuming prescribed burning,” Moore said in a statement.

So far this year, wildland fires have burned across roughly 2,650 square miles (6,860 square kilometers) of the U – roughly twice the average burn for this time of year, according to a national center for coordinating wildfire suppression.