Farms "vulnerable" if fire stations shut, warns Wiltshire NFU chief
Peter Shallcross says wildfires could devastate farms with decreased fire service capacity
A Wiltshire dairy farmer is highlighting how the potential closure of on-call fire stations in Dorset and Wiltshire could affect farmers in both counties.
Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service has made the proposal to shut 8 fire stations to address a funding deficit caused by numerous factors, including cuts in Government grants and an inability to increase the amount of income through Council Tax.
Four Wiltshire stations - Wilton, Mere, Ramsbury and Bradford on Avon - and four stations in Dorset - Cranbourne, Maiden Newton, Hamworthy and Charmouth - are all up for closure.
A public consultation on the closures ends at 5pm on Friday 15th May, with a final decision due at the end of June. We can have our say here.
Peter Shallcross, who is the NFU County Chair for Wiltshire, says it would putting crops, livestock and businesses at risk.
He said rural fire stations are crucial: "They are very important because of the problem of wildfires and they have occurred on my farm before and it needs a rapid response and so closing part of the network of the local fire stations leaves us vulnerable."
Peter said that sparks can ignite stubble and standing crops during harvest season in very dry and very hot years, which can see a small fire quickly become an inferno.
His concern is that is more likely to happen if there is less fire response cover in nearby areas, with his farm between Mere and Wilton.
And while farmers are trained and equipped to deal with small fires, a blaze that gets out of control will need fire service intervention.
Peter said he understood why Chief Fire Officer, Andy Cole, has taken the step of proposing closures, considering the funding constraints on the service.
"I think we just need extra funding, either from central government or a tiny bit on people's council taxes to carry on with the current network," Peter said.
"Wildfire was worst day of my life"
Peter explained that his farm has suffered from the effects of wildfire.
He told us that the incident, which happened a few years ago, happened whilst he was moving sows for his outdoor pigs to a different field.
"It wiped through the field," he said. "It was awful, even though it was a long time ago, that day is probably the worst day of my life and it was the response of the local fire brigade which stopped it getting even worse."
He also told us about a fellow farmer who saw fields and trees on his farm devastated by a wildfire last year, saying that the fire service was instrumental in saving much of the property on the farm.
Peter added that people may become "complacent" if they've not experienced a wildfire, urging his fellows to be more aware of the threat.