To mark a year since one of the most devastating fires in Dorset, wildfire prevention campaign #BringAPicnicNotABBQ has been launched.

A wildfire started in Wareham Forest on May 18, 2020, and destroyed more than 220 hectares - the size of more than 230 football pitches - of forest and heathland.

Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service (DWFRS) is working with partners to remind residents, as well as holidaymakers, to take care in our open spaces this summer.

A seven-minute film has been produced - which can be seen at the top of this page - highlighting the impacts the huge fire had on organisations across Dorset, as well as the work that is being done to prevent an incident like it from happening again.

Assistant chief fire officer, Andy Cole, said: "Firefighters, control room operators and all staff from across Dorset and Wiltshire who supported the Wareham Forest fire worked extremely hard to bring it to a safe conclusion. The incident highlighted just how devastating, and resource intensive, wildfires area.

"With nice weather hopefully on the way, and government coronavirus restrictions easing this week, it is only natural to want to go outdoors and enjoy it with friends and family, but it is also important to stay fire-aware when out and about.

"The idea behind the #BringAPicnicNotABBQ campaign is to remind those enjoying our countryside that bringing a picnic is a much safer option than having a barbecue."

The Wareham Forest fire, which is believed to have been started by a disposable barbecue, was one of the most devastating forest and heath fires in Dorset, in living memory.

Firefighters, police officers, Forestry England rangers and many other partners were on scene for more than three weeks last summer, working tirelessly in hot and arduous conditions to bring the major incident to a conclusion.

Councillor Rebecca Knox, chairman of DWFRS, said: "The Wareham Forest fire was one of the most significant events DWFRS has dealt with for many years, in order to bring the fire under control the service required nationwide resources. The incident was immediately recognised by the Home Office as a national emergency.

"The Fire and Rescue Authority put everything into ensuring that DWFRS had all the resources it needed to deal with the fire, and we worked closely with local MPs and the Home Office to make sure this was the case.

"As an authority we continue to support the service to ensure we can educate residents and visitors about the dangers of disposable barbecues so that everyone can enjoy our beautiful countryside safely. Please, if you're out and about in Dorset and Wiltshire this summer, bring a picnic, not a barbecue."

Disposable barbecues being left behind when still hot are a known cause of heath and forest fires, as are campfires. The new campaign aims to reduce this risk by encouraging people to choose alternatives.

Mark Warn, wildlife ranger for Forestry England, said: "Wareham Forest is one of the most important places in the UK for nature and conservation, with much of the wildlife found here having already disappeared from other parts of the country. It is one of the few places where it is still possible to find all six of the UK's native reptiles, including the endangered smooth snake and sand lizard, and it is home to many rare species of birds and insects.

"The wildfire here showed how somewhere as special as this can be so quickly devastated by one careless act. We all have a role in preventing wildfires and one of the simplest ways is to leave the barbecue at home, they are not permitted and not welcome in the forest."

Councillor Noc Lacey-Clarke, Dorset Council's lead member for environment, travel and harbours, said: "The use of disposable barbecues and lighting campfires in high fire risk areas of Dorset cannot continue. The devastation of Wareham Forest fire last year was inexcusable and could have been avoided.

"We know that disposable barbecues and campfires are a real threat to our important forests and heathlands in Dorset. They also contribute to litter as, ironically, they are quite hard to dispose of because they stay hot for many hours.

"The decision made by councillors at the cabinet meeting on April 6, to ban disposable barbecues and campfires in high fire risk areas in Dorset is the right decision. This firm approach coupled with a campaign to raise awareness of the risks will work hand in hand to hopefully reduce the number of fires in the future. We'll continue to work with our partners and supermarkets to try and better manage the sale of disposable barbecues on Dorset."

More information on staying safe and avoiding starting a wildfire can be found here.

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