Increase in fires in the open during lockdown

There has been a increase in fires in the open during lockdown, according to Hereford and Worcester fire and rescue service chiefs.

Chief fire officer Nathan Travis told yesterday’s (June 10) fire authority meeting that it has been an extremely busy year so far for the service.

The two counties were affected by severe flooding earlier this year and now there appears to be a spike in outdoor fires.

Firefighters put out a blaze at a garden centre in Stourpourt-on-Severn last week and a farm shop in Ombersley was also affected in May.

“Because of the nature of the lockdown we have seen quite an upturn in fires in the open,” Mr Travis said.

“Some of those have been quite significant as well.

“I attended an incident a week or so ago where we had a garden centre which was destroyed by fire.

“But we’ve had a number of those incidents day and night across the two counties.”