Ledbury firefighters are asking the public to stay vigilant and not start fires after working “tirelessly” to put out wildfires despite resources being stretched.
Crews from the town spent three days helping to put out a huge fire on the Lickey Hills near Bromsgrove, a fire that covered about 50,000 sq m and caused 15 people to be evacuated from their homes.
“Crews have assisted with incident command, drone flights and damping down in sectors two and three,” said a spokesperson for Ledbury Fire Station.
“We have also been to several other incidents during the past three days and resources have been stretched, as well as crews having to maintain their full-time employment elsewhere.
“All the crews have worked tirelessly over the past few days and will continue to do so, even in this hot weather.”
READ MORE: Malvern man trapped in bedroom rescued by firefighters
Firefighters thanked nearby businesses in Lickey and Bromsgrove for supplying emergency service workers with cold drinks, hot food and sweets to keep them going during three long days and nights.
“Please continue to be vigilant when using naked flames, glass and mirrors due to the continuing hot weather conditions,” the spokesperson added.
Malvern Hills still at high risk of fires
The Malvern Hills Trust has also warned of the dangers of wildfires despite no significant fires happening on the hills this week.
“Although temperatures are lower there's still a high fire risk for the Malvern Hills and Commons.
“Do not light fires or barbecues, dispose of litter safely and properly extinguish cigarettes.
“We have seen devastating fires in other parts of the country so let's protect our local landscape.”
READ MORE: Ledbury school will close because of the heatwave
With temperatures reaching 37C a number of schools in Herefordshire decided to close on Monday and Tuesday, including Ledbury’s John Masefield High School.
Headteacher Andrew Evans made the decision to close last weekend, saying temperatures in some of the school’s older classrooms could reach 45C.
Activities and trips planned for Tuesday were also cancelled over fears coaches could become “unbearably hot” for pupils and staff.
Mr Evans also praised students for continuing to focus on their work and behaving well in difficult conditions.
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