Fire precautions at festival over 'parched' grass

Firefighters across the West Midlands have been tackling blazes amid the hotter, drier weather, with the flames spreading quickly across parched grassland.

A raging wildfire in Hanter Hill, Herefordshire, has been burning for four days, with one man saying it was "50-50" his house was going to be swallowed by the flames.

There have been a series of deliberate fires at Park Hall Country Park in Stoke-on-Trent, according to Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service, with the service also seeing a large rise in the number of grass fires, wildfires and outdoor fires during the recent dry and hot weather.

Earlier in July, 40 hectares of crops, shrubbery and hedgerow near Bridgnorth were destroyed by flames.

The risk of fire is something outdoor events organisers are particularly aware of.

Warwick Folk Festival, which kicked off on Thursday and runs until Sunday, usually gets 80,000 visitors annually and is seeing lots of interest due to the warmer weather.

However, organisers said they have had to bring in precautions to stop any fires catching hold on the "parched" grass.

Hannah Wright, marketing manager at the festival, said: "It's been a real worry for us actually, but we're pretty lucky.

"We've asked everyone to be careful. It's always about making sure as much as we can people are being safe but still having a great time."

Organisers have asked that no barbecues are held on the ground and camping stoves are raised a certain amount above the grass.

Fire buckets are also located across the site in a bid to keep people safe.

"We're keeping safe but keeping the festival buzz going," Wright added.

"It's absolutely brilliant. Last year we had an absolutely bumper year and this year it's still fantastic, it's lovely to see the crowds out again, enjoying the sunshine."

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