Fire Service called to wildfire on farmland in Wollaston

Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service was called to reports of a fire on farmland on Shepherds Hill in Wollaston on Friday (July 25), shortly before 1:45pm.

Four crews from Rushden, Wellingborough, Irthlingborough and Moulton, who were supported by Wildfire Support Officers, arrived at the incident to find approximately 25 acres of field involved in fire.

The firefighters controlled the spread of the fire and dampened down hotspots with hose-reel jets and wildfire backpacks. The backpacks can carry up to 20 litres of water and can be used in areas that are inaccessible for a fire engine, allowing firefighters to put out fires in remote locations, where wildfires usually take place.

The fire was believed to have started accidentally, with the heat and dry conditions being a factor.

Recently, Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service has launched a new way for farmers to tell the Service about information that can help to keep their land safe and help us be proactive in our plans to protect it.

We have launched a new digital form on the Fire Service website, allowing farmers to detail what water bowsers and machines are on site, access information, any nearby water supplies, and emergency contact details for those responsible for the land. This information will help crews should they be called to a fire on that land.

Group Manager Matt Butler said: “We hope farmers can spare a few minutes to fill in this form, which will help to shape our tactical plans when dealing with rural fires.

“Wildfires are a growing risk for the Fire Service, so we want to be proactive in working with farmers to ensure our plans to protect land and property across the county are robust.”

The form can be filled in at the following link: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=53FKBskfcUuoX3xmkWxvCo_siooqgMBNo9LqOQ2qTKNUQlFPRExENktSMExSRlcxVEpFU01PSjM2UiQlQCN0PWcu