Cornwall fire crews deal with wildfires

There has been a number of wildfires in Cornwall after record temperatures during the recent heatwave.

Firefighters said on Tuesday evening they were called to blazes in Truro, Penzance and Perranporth.

They also spent the night monitoring the site of gorse fires from Monday and Tuesday at Nare Head and Zennor.

Heritage bosses in Cornwall have asked people to be careful at their sites as "even a spark" in the dry conditions could cause devastation.

The fire on Nare Head, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) near Veryan, started on Monday night.

Temperatures in Cornwall hit a record high on Monday of 36C (96.8F).

Although thunder, lightning and some downpours swept across Cornwall on Tuesday, there were still concerns about dry land and the possibility of more fires.

Cathy Woolcock, from the Cornwall Heritage Trust, said its staff were doing "our utmost to avoid any of those terrible fires that we have seen" and visitors to its sites should do the same.

The trust owns or manages 12 sites around the county, including many historic monuments.

Ms Woolcock said: "We need people to be aware that even the slightest spark can cause devastation.

"So the message is be careful, no campfires or barbecues at our sites - which there aren't supposed to be anyway - and be careful with cigarettes.

"We don't want people to not visit, but they should be mindful of the countryside code and you should leave sites as you found them."

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