Jul 21 2021

Heath Week: Wildfire Roadshow

Heath Week montage showing fire engines and some of the consequences of fire - burnt reptile and burnt heath
Heath Week is timed for the beginning of the school holidays and is packed with free activities to get kids (of all ages!) outside, enjoying the countryside and discovering local nature. This year we’re teaming up with the Fire & Rescue Services. There’ll be fire engines galore! So please do join us to meet the crews, inspect their fire engines and see what new technology they’re using to fight and investigate wildfires.

Local heathland is a precious wilderness and home to some very special wildlife. There are amazing birds that nest on the ground, rare butterflies, a dazzling collection of dragonflies and all six species of native reptile. Wildfire is a major threat to these special creatures and their heathland habitat. Fire spreads fast in this environment, destroying everything in its path, including chicks, eggs and other vulnerable wildlife.

The weather of the last few days is a stark reminder that the risk of wildfire hasn’t gone away! So please do come along, we’d love to share our work with you and put the word out to as many people as possible about how we can all help safeguard our local environment and make the countryside a safer place for everyone.

We’re kicking off this weekend with the first of our Wildfire Roadshow events in collaboration with Surrey Fire & Rescue Service. We’re at Caesar’s Camp nr Farnham on Saturday. Then on Sunday at Barossa, nr Camberley.

There are four “Wildfire Roadshow” dates in the Heath Week programme:

The Met Office publish a ‘Fire Severity Index’ daily and as I write we’re on “High”. The pin is Woking.

Graphic from the Met Office's Fire Severity Index website - showing Woking in the yellow zone = HIGH

Met Office Fire Severity Index for Wednesday 21st July 2021

Stay safe.

Sarah
Thames Basin Heaths Partnership

#HeathWeek2021

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