Fire Service urges Corby residents to remain vigilant during hot weather - and avoid risk of starting fires

With the weather set to top 25 degrees or more over the next few days in Corby – the Fire Service is reminding residents to remain vigilant as the risk of fire increases.

This comes as the Service has been called to 44 deliberate fires in Corby since June 1, a higher number than usual. A number of these arsons have been concentrated in the West Glebe Park area.

With such dry conditions, any small fire can become a much bigger fire. And with the Fire Severity Index (FSI) - which predicts how severe a wildfire can become - currently at a ‘very high’ level, this increases the risk of fires spreading. 

The Fire Service is urging parents and guardians to ensure young people are aware of the risks of starting fires, however small, in the current conditions.

They can also follow this advice to try and prevent accidental fires happening in the area:

Andy Evans, of the joint Fire and Police Arson Task Force, said: “We work hard in schools and communities to educate people and raise awareness not only of the dangers of fire setting, but the potential impact on a young person’s future and job prospects if they have a criminal record for arson.

“We’ve been called to a higher than usual number of deliberate fires in Corby over the last two months. Our fire crews being called to deliberately lit fires also affects our ability to respond to more serious and possibly life-threatening incidents such as house fires or road traffic accidents. 

“So we would ask parents and guardians to make sure their children are aware of the risks that setting a fire, no matter how small, could pose – and the impact it could have.”

If you see a fire, call 999. If you have information about deliberate fires, you can report it anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.