Council and democracy

Don't let a wildfire be your fault!

Every summer, we urge people be extra-vigilant to avoid the risk of wildfires in our county's woodlands, fields and parks. Soon after the first prolonged dry spell of the spring and summer, the potential for environmental fire outbreak rises sharply and continues to do so until late September.

How do they start?

Wildfires are a perennial blight on the local countryside, destroying anything from one or two trees or hedgerows, to entire sections of woodland and many acres of crop fields. In Hertfordshire, the vast majority of these fires start because of human carelessness or deliberate vandalism. A few, mainly to large trees, start naturally each summer from lightning strikes. But because people are the most common cause, many such fires can be prevented just by taking more care.

The menace of roadside fires....

Fires that start alongside roads are especially problematic to us and usually start when motorists carelessly discard cigarettes through an open window, rather than stubbing-out using ashtrays inside their vehicles. In doing so, they unwittingly devastate verges and hedgerows whilst at the same time, posing a risk to other road users.

No BBQ’s in the woods, please!

We also urge care with all other possible sources of ignition. Makeshift barbecues held out-of-doors in woods and fields pose a very real hazard - especially if insufficient effort is taken to control and extinguish them. Always douse embers with a bucket of water, then cover with plenty of soil - but better still, don’t even risk starting such fires in the first place.

Please don’t burn our environment....

Field and woodland fires threaten the safety of public and firefighters alike. They can readily spread to engulf adjacent buildings and farm machinery. But equally, they wreak environmental damage that can have a prolonged impact on our local plants and wildlife.

Our landscape In Hertfordshire isn't as well adapted, ecologically speaking, to speedily recover from wildfires - unlike the specialised vegetation of some arid regions, which can even benefit from the natural cycles of these events.

In a typical Hertfordshire woodland or field fire, not only does a considerable amount of well-established wild vegetation or crops get destroyed but also many animals including grass snakes, species of rodents, amphibians, ground-nesting birds and so-on.

So remember:

These fires are largely preventable and we all share a duty to avoid starting them. Always promptly report wildfire outbreaks – no matter how small - to the Fire Service by calling 999.