Wildfires spark urgent bonfire plea from fire chief

Campfires and bonfires are putting lives, wildlife and the "beautiful outdoors" at risk, a fire chief has warned.

Dan Quin, chief fire officer for Surrey Fire & Rescue Service, said officers had attended three "large, out of control" fires in the last 10 days.

"It is destroying our beautiful outdoors that we all enjoy, endangering our wildlife and causing unnecessary callouts for the service," he said.

Separate blazes at Churt Common, near Frensham, and Blackheath Common, near Guildford, were among those attended by crews in recent days.

Six acres of damage had been caused by three large fires originating from a bonfire or campfire in the last week – "an equivalent of 12 football pitches", Mr Quin said.

"This is not to mention the smaller ones that have been happening around the county," he added.

"Please stop lighting bonfires and campfires."

Mr Quin also urged parents to speak to their teenage and young adult children about the risks of lighting campfires.

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