DEVON and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service is urging people to be “extra vigilant” of wildfires this summer.
It comes after as many as 970 outdoor fires across the two counties last year, many of which “rapidly escalated due to dry weather and ground conditions”.
To help prevent wildfires, people can take rubbish home, have a picnic instead of a barbecue and report signs of fire, the fire service said.
According to Watch Manager Simon Lott of Middlemoor Fire Station in Exeter, wildfires can be caused by something as simple as throwing a lit cigarette on the ground, or by the sun reflecting off a discarded glass bottle.
He said: “It’s crucial that people are extra vigilant as we move into the dry summer season, when we see a huge increase in wildfires in Devon and Somerset.
“Just one unguarded flame can lead to fires spreading across miles of land.
“We want to encourage people exploring our beautiful regions this summer to be safe and prevent wildfires, by avoiding open fires and taking picnics, disposing of cigarettes and litter properly and reporting any signs of fire to us.
“Not only do wildfires put the lives of our communities and our firefighters at risk, but they also have long-term impacts on ecosystems and the creatures that call it home.”
Aylesbeare Common was the site of a huge wildfire back in 2011, which destroyed around eight-and-a-half acres of scrub and woodland.
The Royal Society for the Protection of Bird’s Site Manager at Aylesbeare Toby Taylor said: “Fires can be started by items that people wouldn’t even consider a risk.
“Heathland is one of the few habitats that is extremely flammable in the dry summer months.
“A single slip of concentration or accidental source of ignition can lead to massive destruction of this very rare and precious habitat.
“All it takes is a gust of wind to carry the spark a short distance to the dry and highly flammable heathland vegetation.
“Depending on the remoteness of the location, it can be really challenging for our local fire service to reach the area easily.”