Saltash crews tackle bonfire hours after national fire alert

The bag of hedge cuttings has been sitting at the bottom of the garden for a fortnight, the weather is glorious, and a match looks like the obvious answer. It is the most ordinary job there is. It is also the one thing crews would rather nobody in Cornwall did this week, and a Saltash crew spent their morning showing why.

The shout that came in at 9.28am

Firefighters from Saltash Community Fire Station were mobilised to a bonfire that had spread out of control and had to put it out.

There is no suggestion anyone set out to cause a problem. That is rather the point the station is making. The fire had been lit in weather that has left the ground bone dry, and it got away from whoever started it.

📷Credit: UK Government emergency alert

The alert that landed the evening before

The call came less than a day after a Severe Alert from the UK Government arrived on mobile phones across the country, warning of a very high risk of wildfires nationally.

The message asked residents, landowners and visitors to avoid any activity that could start a fire, naming disposable barbecues, firepits, garden incinerators and fireworks. Even a small flame, it said, can rapidly develop into a major wildfire, putting lives, homes, businesses and emergency responders at risk. It also asked people to report signs of fire immediately by calling 999, and pointed to gov.uk/alerts for more information.

Saltash Community Fire Station referred to that alert directly when it described the morning’s job, noting that it had gone out the previous evening warning about bonfires, disposable barbecues and the careless disposal of cigarettes.

Why one garden bonfire matters more than usual

Wildfires are putting significant pressure on fire and rescue resources across the country at the moment. That is the part most people never see from the end of the garden.

An appliance sent to a bonfire that should never have been lit is an appliance that is not available for something else. In a county the size of Cornwall, with stations spread thin across a long coast and a lot of rural road, that matters.

What the fire service is asking you to do

The station was careful not to lecture. It said it completely understands that the fine weather has people out enjoying their gardens and getting outdoor jobs done. The ask is simply to think about the current conditions first.

• Hold off on bonfires while the ground is this dry, and find another way to clear garden waste.
• Leave the disposable barbecue at home. The government alert lists firepits, garden incinerators and fireworks alongside it.
• Dispose of cigarettes safely, every time, whether you are in the garden, on a path or in a car.
• If you see signs of fire, call 999 straight away rather than waiting to see whether it takes hold.

The station put the reason for asking about as plainly as it can be put. An avoidable fire can quickly become a serious incident and tie up crews who may be needed elsewhere for an emergency.

📷Credit: Saltash Community Fire Station