Shock moment farmer finds out his field is on fire
BBCA farmer being interviewed about how the heatwave was affecting his produce was interrupted by a call from a neighbour saying his crops had been set on fire.
Olly Harrison was talking to BBC North West Tonight about how the extreme heat was impacting his crops on Water Lane Farm, Tarbock Green, near Prescot, Merseyside.
Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service (CFRS), who put the blaze out, said it has dealt with four grass fires this week, all suspected to have been started deliberately.
Harrison said similar fires happen during most heatwaves. He added: "Everything is in our way at the moment."
He said neighbours reported seeing a group of children in the field just before fire started.
The fire service said the blaze was about 20m (66ft) x 4m.
A fire officer told BBC North West Tonight that fires like this are "almost always" started deliberately, because there is not anything to self combust.
Harrison, who is the fifth generation of his family to farm, said: "When it is dry like this - it is something you can do without."
He said had his crop of wheat been more mature, the fire might have spread rapidly.
As a precaution he has ploughed a strip of land to act as a fire break, in case the area is set alight again.
Harrison added: "It is the driest we've ever seen it - to the point on Saturday where we actually had to stop harvesting because it was just too dry.
"What we were harvesting was that dry we couldn't sell it."
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