With the Easter holidays about to get underway, Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service is asking people to take extra care when out and about.

Group Manager Greg Izon said: “The combination of the school holidays and good weather will see people out and about a lot more, and we want to be sure that the local area stays as safe as it can be for everyone. If you’re visiting our heathlands, woodlands or countryside, please avoid having a campfire and take a picnic rather than use a disposable barbecue – just a few simple steps can make a real difference to preventing fire from starting.”

He added: “We’d also remind people to take care if having a barbecue or bonfire at home. All too often, we see property destroyed when an initially small fire suddenly gets out of control. Never leave a bonfire or barbecue unattended, and site them well away from fences, trees or buildings.”

If you get the chance to enjoy the sunshine, please follow these fire safety top tips:

• Don’t have barbecues or campfires on the heath or in open spaces; the risk of a fire starting is too great.
• Extinguish cigarettes properly, and don’t throw cigarette ends on the ground or out of car windows – take your litter home.
• If you see a fire in the countryside, call 999 and report it immediately to the Fire & Rescue Service. Please provide as much detail as possible about location and access – a location app such as What3Words can help with this - but also make sure you are in a safe place.
• Landowners and land managers are advised to be prepared for fires, where possible, and ensure that fire breaks are cut and well maintained, with any cut grasses and vegetation removed from the site.
• Landowners are also asked to look after any bonfires or swaling, to ensure that the fire doesn’t get out of control.
• If you’re having a bonfire at home, have a garden hose to hand in case it starts to get out of control, and never use petrol or another accelerant to get it started.
• Barbecue coals stay hot for hours, so douse them with water and don’t dispose of them in a plastic wheelie bin until you can be absolutely sure they are cold.

More information on enjoying outdoors but staying fire safe can be found at www.dwfire.org.uk/safety-outdoors