West Yorkshire Fire Officer Trained in Spain to Tackle Summer Wildfires

West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (WYFRS) has provided specialist wildfire training to one of its officers, Richard Hawley, in an effort to decrease the number of incidents during the summer.

The intensive week-long training, held in Tivissa, a small town in the Catalan mountains of Spain, focused on the controlled burning of vegetation as a tool to tackle fast-moving wildfires.

The tactic, which removes fuel from the oncoming fire, is routinely used globally and is within national guidance.

Fantastic Opportunity

Hawley, who is WYFRS’s temporary group manager and lead wildfire officer, said: “This was a fantastic chance to learn from some of the best in the world when it comes to wildfires, and put theoretical knowledge into practice”.

“Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) sent over a team of firefighters for burns training, where we learnt how fire can be used as a tool.

“By burning vegetation, you take the fuel away from the oncoming fire. It’s a tactic that’s within National guidance and used routinely around the world – this week allowed us to see experts share their knowledge to limit wildfire development.

“We are also looking to see if some international firefighting tactics can be implemented at WYFRS so we are well prepared to respond if we see a repeat of last summer when the county was hugely affected by wildfires.

“The challenges we faced last summer have led to the service investing in additional equipment to deal with wildfires. We will soon be getting two new all-terrain vehicles and additional PPE for wildfire crews and our non-specialist firefighters.

“We are committed to improving our wildfire provision, and it was decided after last year that we needed this additional equipment.”

2022 Wildfires

Last summer, the county was hugely affected by wildfires, leading to the service investing in additional equipment to deal with them.

The new equipment includes two all-terrain vehicles and extra PPE for wildfire crews and non-specialist firefighters.

Last year, crews in England dealt with nearly 25,000 vegetation fires during the summer – the highest in at least a decade.

Across the country, the number of fires in 2022 was almost four times the number in the previous summer, and some services tackled over 50 fires a day at the peak of the heat waves.

WYFRS attended more than four times the number of wildfires last year compared to 2021.

Data obtained by the PA news agency through freedom of information requests revealed that at least 24,316 vegetation fires were recorded by fire services in England from June to August.

Tactics

Hawley urged the public to embrace the latest tactics to stop wildfires and prevent destruction this summer.

The WYFRS also launched its #BeMoorAware campaign, aimed at preventing wildfires and reducing their impact on communities, businesses, and the environment.

The service worked with West Yorkshire Police, Bradford City Council, and Public Space Protection Order Officers for an event on Ilkley Moor, where the wildfire team spoke with the public about their awareness of PSPOs and how to prevent wildfires.

Advice included clearing up and taking rubbish home after picnics, following signs and notices, not leaving glass bottles, and calling 999 if a fire is spotted.