Latest news with #DWFRS
BBC News
7 days ago
- Automotive
- BBC News
Dorset fire service gets new vehicle to tackle heath fires
A fire service has invested nearly half a million pounds in a new off-road multi-functional vehicle to help tackle heath and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service (DWFRS) already has an Unimog, based at Wareham Fire Station, which is now 16 years old.A project to replace it started about three years ago and the new one arrived in April. The service said that after "extensive testing and driver training", it was now operationally available and had already been used at three wildfires over the weekend. The Unimog has a capacity of 4,500 litres of water and 162 litres of also has front, rear and roof-mounted monitors that can direct large quantities of water or foam at a said the off-road capability of the new machine had been "significantly enhanced".It now features upgraded tyres, the addition of a low-ratio gear box and the ability to set the tyre pressures to the type of terrain. Assistant Chief Fire Officer Darren Langdown said the Unimog was able to respond to flooding and thatch fires, as well as large fires in the open."We have seen a significant increase in the number of wildfires across our service area over the past five years, and the Unimog has been an invaluable asset to tackling these," he added the new features would also "enhance our firefighting capabilities" in heaths and other hard-to-reach rural said the new Unimog would be on show on Thursday at Wareham Fire Station. You can follow BBC Dorset on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
BBC News
21-06-2025
- Climate
- BBC News
Crews remain at scene of former golf club building fire
Firefighters are continuing to monitor a blaze at a former golf club and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service (DWFRS) said the fire at a derelict structure in Christchurch Road, Longham, was extinguished at 22:22 fire started at about 18:00 on Friday and DWFRS said it was "well alight", previously advising residents to keep doors and windows closed. In a statement at 07:00 on Saturday, the fire service said two crews had returned to the scene to deal with hotspots. At its height, about 40 firefighters tackled the blaze at the former Dudsbury Golf Club update from DWFRS said: "The fire was extinguished using three main jets, a ground monitor, the aerial ladder platform and ten breathing apparatus wearers."We are making arrangements to get the adjacent road reopened." You can follow BBC Dorset on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
BBC News
20-06-2025
- General
- BBC News
Former golf club building badly damaged in fire
A former golf club building has been badly damaged in a and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service (DWFRS) said firefighters were called to the derelict structure on Christchurch Road, Longham at about 18:00 of the scene showed smoke billowing from the former Dudsbury Golf Club said it was "well alight" when firefighters arrived and warned nearby residents to keep doors and windows closed. About 40 firefighters tackled the blaze at its service said crews remained on the scene at 21:00 but some appliances were being released. You can follow BBC Dorset on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
BBC News
07-06-2025
- General
- BBC News
Bournemouth late night fire near bars and clubs extinguished
Fire crews have extinguished a large late night blaze in a commercial property on a busy road near bars and and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service (DWFRS) said it was called to the fire on Old Christchurch Road, in Bournemouth, at about 00:50 BST on said 10 crews from across the county, alongside the aerial platform unit and a Hampshire-based crew, responded to the fire in a ground-floor Police said its officers also attended the incident to assist with road closures and evacuating the property involved and neighbouring properties. Fire crews from Springbourne, Redhill Park, Westbourne, Christchurch, Poole, Hamworthy, Wimborne, Blandford, Verwood and Ringwood responded to the said that on arrival, residents from the neighbouring flats had already fire was "quickly" brought under control, with eight breathing apparatus wearers using one main line and two hose reel jets to extinguish the stop came in at 02:31, with no casualties reported, DWFRS added. You can follow BBC Dorset on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
The Guardian
04-04-2025
- Climate
- The Guardian
UK set for warmest day of the year after firefighters tackle wildfires
The UK could experience its warmest day of the year so far, with temperatures higher than European holiday hotspots, after firefighters tackled wildfires across the country. Much of the country will be dry and sunny on Friday, and some parts of central England may hit 24C as weather 'nearer to what we'd expect in July' continues, the Met Office said. The highest temperature recorded so far this year was 21.3C in Northolt, west London, and Chertsey, Surrey, on 20 March. It means the country is expected to be warmer than Marbella and Ibiza in Spain, Mykonos in Greece and even Los Angeles in California, according to Met Office forecasts. Southern England hit highs of 20.7C on Thursday, while Achnagart in the Scottish Highlands reached 20.1C. Eastern areas of the country were cooler owing to easterly winds over the North Sea. The Met Office said: 'Temperatures (on Thursday) have been nearer to what we'd expect in July in some inland and western areas, but conversely a chilly easterly breeze has kept many eastern coastal regions much colder.' The average temperature for this time of year is about 12C in England and 10C in Scotland. Dan Stroud, a forecaster, said: 'We've got an area of cloud and showery outbreaks of rain moving northwards across south-west England and parts of Wales overnight tonight and into tomorrow. 'So that will bring some welcome rain for small parts of the country, but much of the country is looking at another fine and dry spring day tomorrow with a lot of warm sunshine on offer, although still holding on to those cool temperatures near the east coast. 'But one thing we are expecting tomorrow is for temperatures to creep up into 23C or maybe the odd isolated 24C, so potentially the warmest day of the year so far.' It comes as firefighters have been tackling major blazes in Scotland and Dorset. Stroud said wildfires have hit the country after a dry period in March. In Scotland, crews have been fighting a large grass fire at Gartur Moss in Port of Menteith, Stirling. The alarm was raised around noon on Wednesday and four fire appliances remained at the scene on Thursday morning. Scottish fire and rescue service said the blaze stretched half a kilometre. Sign up to First Edition Our morning email breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion It added that a 'very high to extreme' risk of wildfire remains across the country until Monday and urged the public not to light fires outdoors. Crews have already extinguished a wildfire near Bonhill in West Dunbartonshire and another in the Kilpatrick Hills near Milngavie, East Dunbartonshire, earlier this week. Moors Valley country park on the Dorset-Hampshire border will remain closed after being hit by multiple wildfires since Monday. Dorset and Wiltshire fire and rescue service (DWFRS) said crews were called to the park again on Wednesday after more hotspots were discovered during a reinspection near Ringwood. Several hectares of woodland have been destroyed. No injuries have been reported. Firefighters responded to two more major wildfires in Dorset overnight. The first broke out at Upton Heath, near Poole, just before 11.45pm on Wednesday, spreading across more than 15 hectares (37 acres. Crews were then called to a blaze at nearby Canford Heath at about 5.30am on Thursday, which covered 2.4 hectares. DWFRS said both fires had been brought under control by 7am, with crews continuing to damp down hotspots.
