Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Be vigilant to fight arson
Farmers urged to take precautions to try to prevent blazes
Firefighters are urging the public and farmers to be vigilant following a spate of barn and grass fires across east Kent – some of which may have been started deliberately.
The latest on Tuesday night involved four crews battling a blaze which destroyed 400 tons of hay in a barn in Grove Road, Wickhambreaux.
Fire crews were called to the scene shortly after 11pm and managed to prevent the flames from spreading to nearby buildings.
The decision was taken to let the fire burn itself out, although two crews stayed at the scene until 8.30am yesterday (Wednesday) to ensure it did not restart. The cause is unknown.
Earlier on Tuesday, firefighters were called to land behind the Querns Road estate and the former barracks, where seven acres of scrub was alight.
Four crews arrived shortly after midday equipped with an all-terrain vehicle, as well as their main jets, to tackle the flames.
They spent several hours at the scene checking and dousing any remaining smouldering pockets of grassland.
Kent Fire and Rescue Service community safety manager Charlie Smith said: “Hay bale fires and standing crop fires can spread extremely quickly, causing damage to property, the environment and livelihoods, and can put people and animals at risk.
“We would always urge farmers to remove bales from open fields, store them securely in small stacks and to be as vigilant as possible, alerting the fire service as soon as possible.
“We are asking members of the public to take extra care not to start fires in the countryside and to ensure cigarettes are extinguished responsibly.”
Anyone with information about illegal fire setting and those responsible should report it to police on 101 or anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.