Skip to main content
Home
Accessibility Tool
  • Zoom in
  • Zoom out
  • Reset
  • Contrast
  • Accessibility help
Other languages

Language

Disclaimer

This website provides a translate function to accommodate our diverse audience. However, translations are automated and may not fully capture the nuances of the original language. For critical information, please refer to the source text.

Close
Search

People often search for...

When should I test my smoke alarm?
Home safety visits
Thatch fire safety
Report a problem with a fire hydrant
How safe is my heater?
Chimney fires
Close
  • Home
  • Safety advice
    Back
    Safety advice
      • Safety at home
        Back
        Safety at home
        • How to stay safe
        • Smoke alarms
        • Risks in your home
        • Advice for parents
        • Advice for carers
      • Business safety
        Back
        Business safety
        • Risk assessments
        • High rise buildings
        • Guidance for businesses
        • Landlords and holiday lets
        • Inspections and enforcement
        • Farms and agriculture
      • Safety outdoors
        Back
        Safety outdoors
        • Animal and bird rescues
        • Water safety
        • Wildfires
        • Rescue incidents and tips to avoid them
      • Safety on the road
  • About us
    Back
    About us
      • Our people
      • Our fire stations
      • Fleet and equipment
      • How we respond to emergency calls
      • Community Risk Management Plan
      • In your area
      • Information and data transparency
      • What we spend
      • Our performance
      • Request information
      • Have your say
        Back
        Have your say
        • Complaints
        • Compliments
        • Public consultations
      • Developing our Service
      • Our environmental strategy
      • Equality and diversity
      • Work with us
      • Community events
        Back
        Community events
        • Community conversations
      • Customer Charter
      • Sexual Safety Charter
      • Fire Authority(link is external)
      • Fire, rescue and safety training (Red One)(link is external)
      • Firefighters' pensions board
      • Armed Forces Covenant
  • Newsroom
    Back
    Newsroom

    Latest news

    A close up image of a fire engine door with a DSFR logo
    News
    23 May 2025

    Inspection report praises emergency response and Service’s awareness of areas to improve

    Biker Down attendees at SHQ celebrate 10 years
    News
    14 May 2025

    Major milestone for our Biker Down workshops

    • Incidents
    • News
    • Events
    • Social media
  • Careers
    Back
    Careers
      • Vacancies
      • Become an on-call firefighter
        Back
        Become an on-call firefighter
        • Application process (on-call)
      • Become a wholetime firefighter
        Back
        Become a wholetime firefighter
        • Application process (wholetime)
      • The role of a firefighter
      • The role of a fire control operator
        Back
        The role of a fire control operator
        • Become a fire control operator
      • Support staff roles
      • Looking after our people
        Back
        Looking after our people
        • Embracing equal opportunities
        • Supporting women in the Service
      • Pay rates
      • Benefits
      • Request a careers talk
  • Education and young people
    Back
    Education and young people
      • Early years, reception and year one
      • Primary schools
        Back
        Primary schools
        • Primary school fire safety visits
        • Great Fire of London
      • Secondary schools
      • Safety resources for children and young people
        Back
        Safety resources for children and young people
        • Fire and road safety resources
      • Fire starting behaviour in children
      • Join the fire cadets
      • Scout and Guide groups - awards and badges
      • Young drivers
      • Work experience

Contact

  • Contact us

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. News
  3. Firefighters Launch Wildfire Campaign
FacebookXEmailWhatsappMessenger Share
News
17 May 2024

Firefighters launch wildfire campaign

Demonstrating equipment for fighting wildfires

Wildfire Warriors

Our firefighters have launched a campaign to combat potentially deadly wildfires this summer and are encouraging people to become ‘Wildfire Warriors.’

Visiting Aylesbeare Common, the location of a previous wildfire, we showcased our specialist vehicles and demonstrated the equipment we use to tackle fast-spreading wildfires in Devon and Somerset.

The common was the site of a huge wildfire back in 2011, which destroyed around eight-and-half acres of scrub and woodland.

Simon Lott, a Watch Manager from Middlemoor Fire Station in Exeter, was on hand to talk about the impact of wildfires, which he said could 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 explained: “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.”

During 2023 we responded to 970 outdoor fires, many of which rapidly escalated due to dry weather and ground conditions. These incidents happened throughout Devon and Somerset.

The threat to wildlife

Simon added: “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.”

To help raise awareness of the plight of threatened species at risk of wildfires, we have teamed up with the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), who own part of Aylesbeare Common.

Species under threat include the Dartford Warbler, Stonechat, Nightjar, Adder, Grass Snake, Smooth Snake, Common Lizard and Slow Worm – all which nest on or near to the ground making them vulnerable to fire.

The common is also home to Southern Damselfly and the rare Silver-Studded Blue, Small Heath and Pearl Bordered Fritillary butterflies. As well as special bog plants, wild orchids and the reserve’s grazing Dartmoor and Exmoor Ponies and Cattle, which help manage RSPB Aylesbeare for wildlife.

Toby Taylor, RSPB’s Site Manager at Aylesbeare, said: “We are really grateful for the care and caution that most of our visitors take when exploring our nature reserves and wider countryside. However, 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, vast areas of highly designated heathland habitat are vulnerable to accidental wildfires, we work hard to keep the habitat in good condition and suitable for all our native wildlife, 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. And depending on the remoteness of the location, it can be really challenging for our local fire service to reach the area easily.”

You can be a Wildfire Warrior

Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service will be at various events and county shows throughout the summer, advising people on how they can become ‘Wildfire Warriors’ within their communities.

There are three simple criteria for becoming a ‘Wildfire Warrior’:

  • take rubbish home
  • have a picnic instead of a BBQ
  • respect the landscape and wildlife.
The ATV towing firefighting equipment
4 of 5
Simon Lott and Toby Taylor
5 of 5
The all terrain vehicle
1 of 5
Have your photo taken with the wildfire warriors board
2 of 5
Wildfire demonstration at Aylesbeare Common
3 of 5
The ATV towing firefighting equipment
4 of 5
Simon Lott and Toby Taylor
5 of 5
The all terrain vehicle
1 of 5
Have your photo taken with the wildfire warriors board
2 of 5
Wildfire demonstration at Aylesbeare Common
3 of 5
The ATV towing firefighting equipment
4 of 5
Simon Lott and Toby Taylor
5 of 5

Wildfire safety advice

Find out more

The risk of wildfires during hot and dry weather

Find out more

Footer menu

  • Home
  • Safety advice
      • Safety at home
      • Business safety
      • Safety outdoors
      • Safety on the road
  • About us
      • Our people
      • Our fire stations
      • Fleet and equipment
      • How we respond to emergency calls
      • Community Risk Management Plan
      • In your area
      • Information and data transparency
      • What we spend
      • Our performance
      • Request information
      • Have your say
      • Developing our Service
      • Our environmental strategy
      • Equality and diversity
      • Work with us
      • Community events
      • Customer Charter
      • Sexual Safety Charter
      • Fire Authority(link is external)
      • Fire, rescue and safety training (Red One)(link is external)
      • Firefighters' pensions board
      • Armed Forces Covenant
    • Newsroom
      • Incidents
      • News
      • Events
      • Social media
    • Careers
        • Vacancies
        • Become an on-call firefighter
        • Become a wholetime firefighter
        • The role of a firefighter
        • The role of a fire control operator
        • Support staff roles
        • Looking after our people
        • Pay rates
        • Benefits
        • Request a careers talk
    • Education and young people
        • Early years, reception and year one
        • Primary schools
        • Secondary schools
        • Safety resources for children and young people
        • Fire starting behaviour in children
        • Join the fire cadets
        • Scout and Guide groups - awards and badges
        • Young drivers
        • Work experience

Translate the website

Footer contact

  • Contact us

Staff login

Always call 999 in an emergency

Did you find this page useful

  • Yes
  • No

Follow us

  • Facebook(link is external)
  • Twitter(link is external)
  • Youtube(link is external)
  • Instagram(link is external)
  • Linkedin(link is external)
  • Follow us
  • Print this page

Footer bottom

  • Our website
  • Sitemap
  • Cookies
  • Privacy notices
  • Modern Slavery Act 2015
  • Accessibility

Disability Confident employer logoEmployers Network for Equality and Inclusion logoBritish Quality Foundation logoEmployers network for equality and inclusion logoFire pride and allies logo Armed Forces Covenant