Firefighters are pleading with members of the public to stop dropping litter after attending dozens of fires over the past few days.
Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service was called to 44 outdoor fires between Friday, August 5 and Monday, August 8.
And with temperatures set to top 30C for the next few days, firefighters are worried things are only going to get worse.
The National Fire Chiefs Council said it has received reports of 244 wildfires already this year, compared to just 11 in 2021 and eight in 2020.
Incidents in Worcestershire include a fire in a field in Whittington Road on Sunday, August 7, which destroyed about two hectares of land.
Another @HWFire in the open. Caused by a discarded glass bottle refracting the sun’s rays onto tinder dry undergrowth. Assertive fire-fighting from the crews prevented potentially devastating escalation. pic.twitter.com/1BWkUBEosX
— Thom Morgan (@1Thommorgan) August 6, 2022
Two fire crews from Worcester, one each from Malvern and Evesham, and a water carrier from Evesham battled for hours to get it under control.
After being called at about 3pm, the incident was finally closed just after 11.15pm.
READ MORE: Fire service issue update after fire in Whittington Road
The fire service said there were no casualties but a camp fire was discovered at the scene and the police were informed.
Group commander Thom Morgan, of the HWFRS Protection department,also shared pictures on Twitter of a fire caused by “a discarded glass bottle refracting the sun’s rays onto tinder dry undergrowth”.
'Don't take disposable barbecues into the countryside'
Commander Morgan added: “Sadly, litter continues to be dropped in large quantities despite the many reminders we’ve issued about the dangers this causes. We’ve seen how easily fires can be ignited and take hold over very wide areas in just a few minutes, with their huge impact on people’s safety and property.
A busy day yesterday dealing with multiple fire in the open incidents incl this field fire of straw crop at Hinton-on-the-Green. @HWFireControl mobilised crews from Evesham, Pershore, Worcester & @Glosfire. Multiple hose reel jets, beaters and backpack sprayers were used🚒📟🔥 pic.twitter.com/LrBm7I1bxr
— HWFire Worcester (@HWFireWorcs) August 9, 2022
“Discarded bottles and glasses can concentrate sunshine onto vegetation and ignite fires with astonishing speed.
“So please do not discard litter of any kind, and above all please don’t take disposable barbecues out into the countryside.
“Have fun in our open spaces but please behave responsibly and remove all litter, either by disposing of it in official waste bins or taking it home with you.
“Further information on how to stay safe and avoid causing fires or other incidents is on our website (hwfire.org.uk).
“We’re grateful to the public for their support on this. Above all, stay safe.”
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