Public reassured after three fires in a day

Kent's fire service is reassuring the public it is ready to respond to wildfires as the dry weather season begins.

Two new 4x4 Can-Am Traxters, which are vehicles specifically designed to fight wild and grass fires, have been added to the service's fleet along with wildfire kits.

The additions came after the service was called to three fires in one day in March.

A Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) spokesperson said: "Luckily these incidents didn't amount to anything more than our usual firefighting response, but things could have been different."

In March, crews were called to Dartford Heath to reports of undergrowth alight, thought to have been started deliberately.

On the same day, crews attended a grass fire in Barnfield, Chatham, again believed to have been started deliberately.

Finally, later that day, an area the size of a swimming pool was also believed to have been set alight in Swanscombe, the service added.

People are asked to avoid discarding cigarettes or matches in the countryside, to avoid having campfires, to only have barbecues in authorised areas and to make sure it is cold before throwing them away.

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