Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service issued an Amber wildfire alert for its service area for the Easter weekend, announcing it on 14 April 2022. The service said the warning meant a higher-than-usual risk of a wildfire starting, due to the weather forecast for Saturday and Sunday, and that any fire could spread quickly and easily in the warm, dry and breezy conditions1.
The service referred to the major incident at Wareham Forest in 2020, saying wildfires take a great deal of resources and time to bring under control and cause devastation to heath, woodland and wildlife1. No figures for the 2020 incident, or for casualties or damage, were given in the announcement.
Group Manager Dave Waters said the combination of the long Easter weekend and good weather would mean people were out and about a lot more. The service's safety points covered open countryside and gardens:
| Setting | Service guidance |
|---|---|
| Cigarettes | Extinguish properly; do not throw ends on the ground or out of car windows; take litter home1 |
| Reporting a fire | Call 999 immediately, give as much detail as possible about location and access, and make sure you are in a safe place1 |
| Landowners and land managers | Be prepared for fires where possible; ensure fire breaks are cut and well maintained, with cut grasses and vegetation removed1 |
| Bonfires at home | Have a garden hose to hand; never use petrol or another accelerant; never leave a bonfire or barbecue unattended; site them well away from fences, trees or buildings1 |
| Barbecue coals | Coals stay hot for hours; douse with water and do not dispose of them in a plastic wheelie bin until absolutely sure they are cold1 |
"An Amber wildfire alert has been issued for the Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service area for the Easter weekend."
Why it matters for households
The alert applied to the service's area, covering Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, Dorset, Swindon and Wiltshire, for the Easter weekend, with the forecast for Saturday and Sunday given as the reason1. Households in that area planning countryside visits, picnics or garden fires over the holiday were the group the service addressed. Its advice was to avoid campfires and disposable barbecues on heathland, woodland and open spaces, to dispose of cigarettes properly, to call 999 if a fire is seen in the countryside, and to take care with bonfires and barbecues at home1. The service's guidance on wildfires and grass fires and on barbecues and wildfire risk in dry weather sets out the wider background, within the heatwaves and drought section.
What happens next
The announcement gave no end date for the alert beyond the Easter weekend forecast for Saturday and Sunday, and no further update was reported1.
Wildfires and Grass Fires
Barbecues and Wildfire Risk
