AFTER a spike in open fires last month, as well as two at the weekend, firefighters are urging the public to be more careful and safe during this week's heatwave.

During July's record-breaking hot spell, Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service (DWFRS) says it dealt with 339 fires, compared to 120 the same time the previous year.

The service says this means the number of fires was up by more than 150 per cent.

And the call outs have not stopped for the fire service this month.

On Saturday, August 6, a fire broke out on Springbottom Farm near Stonehenge, when wheat was being cut and the "combine started playing up".

The same day, crews dealt with a crop field fire near Downton.

With more scorching temperatures to come, DWFRS group manager Jim Weston said: “Last month, we saw a massive spike in fires in the open, up by 182 per cent on July 2021, with 339 fires attended compared to 120 last year.

"The dry conditions mean even the smallest fire will spread far more quickly than usual, so the safest thing is to avoid the risk entirely wherever possible.

“This is just as relevant in your garden at home as it is out in the countryside; go to the local recycling centre instead of having a bonfire, have a picnic or cook indoors rather than use a barbecue, don’t have a campfire."

Salisbury is expected to hit highs of 32 degrees near the weekend. An amber weather alert has been issued by the Met Office, from Thursday until Sunday.

Safety tips from the fire service include do not have a bonfire, extinguish cigarettes properly, use a picnic rather than a barbecue, and if using a barbecue douse them with water and don’t dispose of the remnants until you can be absolutely sure they are cold.

If you see a fire in the countryside, get to a safe place and call 999 to report it immediately.

Mr Weston added: "Doing things a little bit differently can make all the difference to stopping fires from happening.”

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