Firefighters tackle more than 50 grassland fires in 10 days

Firefighters have been called to more than 50 grassland fires in the past 10 days. The land has become so dry that a warning has been issued by Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service (GFRS) urging businesses to think about property backing onto open space.

The number of grassland fires GFRS has been called to is a dramatic increase of incidents compared to the six for the same time in 2021. GFRS has been called out to 132 fire-related incidents so far in August, of which 53 related to grassland.

At the same period last year, between August 1 and 10, there had been 25 fire-related incidents and six were call outs relating to grassland. With the marked increase in grassland and wildfires across the county, the fire service is asking firms to consider the dangers of a fire starting from the outside.