Oxfordshire firefighters tackled nearly 250 wildfires at the peak of the heatwave this summer, figures show.
PA news agency has revealed the number of wildfires recorded by fire services in England in the months of June, July and August in 2020, 2021 and 2022.
The monthly data for Oxfordshire showed:
2020 June 2020, 48; July 2020, 29; August 2020, 25 (total 102)
2021 June 2021, 20; July 2021, 22; August 2021, 28 (total 70)
2022 June 2022, 21; July 2022, 94; August 2022, 131 (total 246)
A freedom of information request revealed that the number fires that tore through Oxfordshire's grassland, woodland and crops were more than double the number in summer 2020 and more than triple the number in summer 2021.
Fire services in England dealt with nearly 25,000 wildfires in June, July and August this year, almost four times the number in summer 2021 and the highest for this period in at least a decade, according to the data.
Firefighters in Oxfordshire were called to 15 separate incidents on August 8, due to the hot temperatures and dry weather.
Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service posted tips online and urged the public to follow safety advice on countryside fires, bonfires, and water safety.
Charlbury Fire Station shared the message, and added: “We were very busy at one of these incidents yesterday.
“There were 10 fire engines at our job in Kiddington at one point trying to control a very large field fire.
“The crew worked hard for over five hours to bring it under control and extinguish it.”
In August crews from three stations and RAF Brize Norton tackled a huge field fire ignited by harvester at Black Bourton.
One of the biggest fires was a barn blaze at Grendon Underwood.
Fire chiefs said the figures showed how staff were “increasingly being challenged by new extremes of weather as our climate changes”, while praising the dedication and bravery of officers in tackling unprecedented conditions.
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