Public advised on how to prevent wildfires in hot weather

The public are being urged to be mindful of wildfires in the hot weather.

Devon and Somerset Fire Service said people could prevent the risk of a wildfire by not having campfires or barbecues in the countryside and to discard cigarettes carefully.

It said it wanted to keep the public and countryside safe from the dangers of wildfires and fires in the open.

Wildfires are very dangerous, fast spreading and threaten wildlife, livestock, domestic animals, the environment, property, and people, the fire service said.

Devon and Somerset Fire Service said wildfires were often caused by human activity, either deliberate or accidental, and on rare occasions could be started by a lightning strike.

It added only 10 to 15% of wildfires happened on their own in nature.

It also advised the public to prepare for the risk of a wildfire by making an escape plan.

People should make sure family members or members of staff know what to do, where to assemble and how to round up and care for pets and domestic animals in the event of a wildfire.

It advised those living in a rural area made sure their home number or name was clearly visible from the road or main access point so that firefighters could easily locate the address in the event of a fire.

People should check the current wildfire risk in their area using the Natural England Fire Severity Index, Devon and Somerset Fire Service said.