Dorchester fire crews have had a busy weekend with wildfires and a property fire.

A crew was called just before 11.15am on Friday to join a Beaminster crew at a fire in the open near Lankham Bottom. Due to the amount of calls received, Bridport Fire Station also attended.

A spokesman for Dorchester Fire Station said: "Due to this being a rapidly spreading fire, the officer in charge requested additional appliances from Dorchester and a water carrier from Yeovil Fire Station.

"Crews used multiple hose reel jests to extinguish the fire, which involved hedge rows and a grass field.

"We would like to thank the public with their patience as we had to close the road to be able to deal with this incident."

There was another call-out for the crew just before 2am on Saturday morning to a wildfire in the Wyke area.

The spokesman added: "We joined with appliances from Weymouth Fire Station, Portland Fire Station and Land Rovers from Bere Regis Fire Station and Maiden Newton Fire Station, plus a water carrier from Bridport Fire Station.

"Crews used multiple hoses and beaters to extinguish the fire involving an area of gorse.

"With the current hot and dry conditions, a fire can quickly get out of hand."

A further call on Sunday afternoon just after 5pm saw the crew join others from Beaminster, Lyme Regis, Bridport, Weymouth and Axminster, as well as the South Western Ambulance Service and Dorset Police, to a property fire in Bridport.

A spokesman for Bridport Fire Station said: "Thankfully the quick actions of the crews prevented a significant fire.

"The cause of the fire was deliberate after cushions and other materials from a sofa had been set alight.

"It is obvious people have been unlawfully entering the building causing damage to the inside with smashed glass, damage to walls, rubbish, fallen cables and open trap doors in the floor. This can be extremely dangerous for fire fighters entering the property with zero visibility. 

"What seems like harmless fun could have major implications. This fire also caused a strain on the emergency services due to the amount of appliances and officers in attendance plus all the standby moves instigated to cover stations in attendance.

"The local authority was requested to attend to secure the building."

Last week, Dorchester crews were mobilised 12 times to two false alarms with good intent, one small fire in the open, to assist the ambulance service, to a petrol/diesel spill, a field fire, a heath fire, twice to provide standby cover at Weymouth, and standby cover in Bridport, one vehicle fire and one public assembly for a retail fire.