MOD ignites Salisbury Plain during live fire training drill
THE Ministry of Defence has halted live firing on Salisbury Plain after its training activities set grasslands alight, causing roads to be closed and nearby houses to fill with smoke.
The training exercises, which use high-explosive ammunition, were paused on Friday but resumed earlier this week to the dismay of residents.
But after Wiltshire Police was forced to temporarily close the A360 between Shrewton and West Lavington due to bad visibility, the MOD announced yesterday that it would cease live firing.
An MOD spokesman said: “We take the safety of our military personnel and the public seriously and we would like to reassure local residents and others that we are doing everything possible to reduce the risks.
“After reviewing the risks of continuing live firing exercises on Salisbury Plain, along with the weather forecast, we have made the decision to cease artillery firing on the ... training area until further notice. The risks are reviewed every 12 hours in conjunction with any operational imperative for training along with public safety.”
Since the fires started last week, the smoke has spread to Wells, in Somerset, more than 40 miles away.
Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue said the military was monitoring the smoke plume. It wrote on Twitter: “A fire in the impact area of Salisbury Plain that is being monitored by the military seems to be giving off a smoke plume that is spreading across Steeple Ashton, Trowbridge and as far as Bradford on Avon. Control are receiving multiple calls.”
Neil Lockhart, 60, of Great Cheverell, Wilts, said: “This has caused a lot of discomfort to locals. Keeping doors and windows closed in this heat has been terrible, and the house smells so strongly of smoke.
“The MOD haven’t communicated with residents as well as they should have... and their actions have been irresponsible in this hot weather.”