Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service (HWFRS) have issued a plea for people to take extra care when enjoying the countryside, after initial investigations concluded that a disposable barbecue was probably the cause of last week’s fire at Lickey Hills Country Park.
The severe blaze on Rednal Hill – covering an area equivalent to around 5 football pitches – started at around 1.15pm on Monday 18th July, as temperatures in the Midlands soared over 35C.
Fire crews from HWFRS – supported by with colleagues from West Midlands Fire Service – tackled the 50,000 sq m blaze. Fifteen people were evacuated from their homes, with further properties and businesses around Lickey Road, Leach Green Lane and Eachway Lane affected.
Following an initial investigation, HWFRS say that the blaze was probably caused by a disposable barbecue which ignited the extremely dry ground, with hot ash possibly being blown some distance away and sparking the second fire.
No barbecue was found but there were scorch marks consistent with the size and shape of a disposable barbeque on the ground.
Investigators think that, in an effort to act responsibly, whoever used it had removed the barbecue, not realising that the ground around it would have remained hot enough to cause the fire after they left.
Station Commander Richie Young, who conducted the initial investigation into the Lickey Hills fires, said: “Given that we are continuing to deploy to fires in the open on a daily basis, we would remind people to exercise extreme caution and not to use disposable barbecues in the countryside at all, even if they take them away afterwards.
“We’re expecting more hot weather later in the week, and the ground remains tinder dry and extremely combustible, so please avoid having barbecues or campfires, discarding cigarettes or litter, or dropping glassware which can also ignite fires.
“Even if we get the occasional rainshower, don’t assume the ground will be damp and therefore safe. An inch or two below ground it will still be intensely hot.
“We’re grateful to the public for their support on this. Please take care and stay safe.”
Further information on how to stay safe and avoid causing fires or other incidents: Safety and advice | Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service (hwfire.org.uk).
More safety advice can be found at www.hwfire.org.uk, www.gov.uk/firekills or by calling the HWFRS Prevention Team on 0800 032 1155.
READ: Fire crews tackle large blaze at Lickey Hills Country Park as heatwave temperatures soar