#firestoppers — Public Fediverse posts

Manor Fields Park clean up after the fire.

Yesterday I went to help at the clean-up at Manor Fields Park following the fire on August 13th. It’s one of my favourite local spots for a walk, looking out for herons, other birds and waterfowl, butterflies, insects and wildflowers. So it was depressing to see nearly half the park completely scorched black, trees burnt dead, and just a few brave, resilient plants left standing. But it was uplifting to join with about one hundred volunteers, organised by Green Estate, to help start to put things right. On the ground were incinerated blackberries and calcified snail shells, sometimes indistinguishable from white plastic bottle tops. Litter that was previously covered in vegetation was now easy to find, including tyres, car parts, bottles and cans, crisp packets, and unidentifiable miscellaneous bits. So we set forth with litter pickers, and after just an hour, the lorry was jammed full of rubbish. Many thanks to everyone who turned out to help and to the organisers from Green Estate.

https://youtu.be/6-WpxBTbDWc

So what caused the fire? Apparently, there is no evidence that it was arson, although not far away, I am aware of many deliberate attempts to burn Skye Edge, endangering nearby houses and allotments, and of course, our fantastic fire service. So maybe the fire was caused by a discarded bottle, the sun’s rays being magnified to create enough heat to ignite the grass. But what is certain is that our extremely hot, dry summer made the conditions ideal for the fire to spread quickly, posing a very difficult challenge for the fire service.  Throughout the world, wildfires are happening more frequently as the planet continues to heat up as a direct result of our carbon emissions. 

As I write, the rain is hammering on my bay window. When it rained for the first time in many weeks, I was very happy- it reminded me of my time in Uganda, when our water tank ran dry in the drought. When it eventually rained, we put every container outside to collect as much water as we possibly could! Maybe this is the end of our hot summer, but perhaps the hot conditions will return. Next year is already forecast to be an even hotter summer, due to the record-breaking El Niño. So we need to be prepared for these extreme conditions. 

To stop fires, we need to report people behaving in a way that might start one. Whether it’s fireworks, barbeques, carelessly discarding a cigarette, or simply playing with matches, this behaviour in hot, dry conditions puts lives at risk and must be stopped. You can ring Firestoppers anonymously on 0800 1695558. Add this number to your contacts so you have it when you need it. 

Your local park or green space may have a Friends of group. Get in touch with them and help with litter picks and improving the park. Friends of Manor Fields Park is here. Picking up one glass bottle may prevent the disaster Manor Fields just suffered.  

https://youtu.be/K9xXDqft2_I

I’ve heard some blame rewilding for the fires, but aerial photographs show that areas that have been rewilded, letting streams take their natural course, have remained green throughout the drought, whereas fields of short grass, such as at Arbourthorne Park, have caught fire. Read more about this here. 

The fire service has done a magnificent job this summer, but they were not able to stop houses from being ruined at Foxhill. As the planet heats up, the fire service needs more personnel and better resources. They can’t be everywhere at once, and at some points this summer, fires were blazing all over the city. So the Government must fund them properly, put a stop to any idea of more drilling for more oil and gas, and tackle the climate emergency by putting the country on a war footing to reduce our carbon emissions. 

I’ve heard some blame rewilding for the fires, but aerial photographs show that areas that have been rewilded, letting streams take their natural course, have remained green throughout the drought, whereas fields of short grass, such as at Arbourthorne Park, have caught fire. Read more about this here.     

The fire service has done a magnificent job this summer, but they were not able to stop houses from being ruined at Foxhill. As the planet heats up, the fire service needs more personnel and better resources. They can’t be everywhere at once, and at some points this summer, fires were blazing all over the city. So the Government must fund them properly, put a stop to any idea of more drilling for more oil and gas, and tackle the climate emergency by putting the country on a war footing to reduce our carbon emissions.