Fire chief gives heartfelt thanks to farmers for their help in battling a spike in blazes this summer

Firefighters have given heartfelt thanks to farmers across Leicestershire and Rutland who helped crews tackle a major increase in blazes this summer.

The unusually hot temperatures and absence of rain for long periods contributed to a spike in fires in fields and countryside areas.

Farmers supported fire crews at many incidents, using their machinery and rural knowledge to help bring blazes under control.

In response, Callum Faint, the Chief Fire and Rescue Officer for Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service, published an open letter to the farming community.

He wrote: “We could not have achieved the outcomes we did without the extraordinary support of our farming and rural communities.

“Our firefighters worked exceptionally hard, often in extremely difficult conditions, to contain fires and protect people, property, livestock and our countryside.

“But this was very much a shared effort.

“Time and again, farmers, landowners and members of our rural communities stepped forward to help us.

“You brought tractors, machinery and bowsers.

“You ploughed fields and created firebreaks to help stop fires spreading.

“You moved water to places where conventional fire service access was difficult.

“You helped transport equipment and personnel across challenging terrain. You shared your knowledge of the land and, importantly, when we needed help, you were willing to provide it.”

Mr Faint said the efforts of farmers helped fire crews prevent the injuries and significant property loss suffered by other areas of the country when the hot and dry weather created wildfire conditions in rural communities.

“I am extremely proud of the work of our firefighters, our Fire Control colleagues and everyone across the Service who supported these incidents,” he wrote.

“But it is equally important that we recognise that we did not do it alone.

“The actions of our farming community were not simply helpful additions to the firefighting operation.

“In many cases, they formed an important part of our ability to contain fires, restrict their spread and bring incidents under control.”

The fire chief said lessons had been learned with hotter summer now expected to become the norm in the UK.

He added: “As government, fire and rescue services and partners come together nationally to consider the UK's future resilience to wildfire, it seems particularly fitting that we recognise what happened here locally.

“One of the clearest lessons for me is that resilience is not something that any single organisation can provide.

“It comes from communities, public services, businesses and individuals working together.

“Our farming and rural communities demonstrated that brilliantly this summer.”