Communities across rural Shropshire are being reassured that the county’s fire service is well-equipped to deal with wildfires, following the devastation wreaked by major blazes elsewhere in Europe last month.
Simon Hardiman, chief fire officer at Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service, said training, equipment and tactical plans were regularly updated to ensure crews would be able to cope with a large-scale fire.
While there have not been any major incidents in Shropshire so far this summer, Mr Hardiman said the service had seen an increase in the number of fires on open land in recent years.
Mr Hardiman said: “Locally we do a lot of work around wildfires because of the area we have got in Shropshire.
“The national wildfires group are looking at this as well.
“We are investing in technology and equipment to assist us in dealing with wildfires.
“Whether it’s linked to climate change or not, we are seeing an increase.”
To address the growing risk, local firefighters have received specialist training and new equipment.
Mr Hardiman said: “Only two weeks ago we have invested in training in some of our officers who are now wildfire tactical advisers.
“Even down to the PPE our firefighters wear – this week we have issued rescue jackets that are lightweight, which will make it a bit less arduous dealing with wildfires.”
The service has specialist high-volume equipment based across the county that can be brought in to deal with major fires.
“We have light pump units based at Shrewsbury and Craven Arms, and a high volume pumping unit based at Prees,” said Mr Hardiman.
“They allow us to draw water in from a long distance away, there is a couple of miles worth of hose.
“We have also got a water bowser at Bridgnorth so we can transport water, and a water tender at Oswestry.
“We have got dams we can blow up and put water in.”
Tactical plans are another key element. Mr Hardiman explained: “At the Wrekin for example, every year we will exercise there and make sure our tactical plan works.
“From that I know that we can get water from the Wrekin Reservoir right to the top of the Wrekin.”
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