With warmer, drier weather becoming the new normal, the risk of wildfires in our countryside is on the rise and we’ve already seen serious examples nearby this year. As April 2025 goes down as the UK’s sunniest on record, it’s a stark reminder that climate change is making extreme weather more frequent and intense.
That’s why we’re asking everyone in Mole Valley to stay alert and follow this vital advice from Surrey Fire & Rescue Service:
🔥 Burger Off! Don’t use barbecues, camping stoves, or open fires in rural areas. They can quickly spark wildfires.
🚭 Stub it out safely, Always extinguish smoking materials fully. Never throw cigarette butts on the ground or out of a car.
🗑️ Take rubbish home , Glass and bottles left behind can start fires by magnifying sunlight.
🎈 No flying lanterns, these can start wildfires, and pose a danger to animals as they can ingest the metal wire.
We would like you to be an advocate of this message and raise awareness amongst friends, families and work and school networks. Preventing wildfire protects natural habitat, can save lives and reduces CO₂ emitted from burning habitat.
While we continue working to reduce emissions, we must also prepare for the climate impacts already here. This is called climate adaptation — taking action now to protect our communities, nature, and local places from the risks of a changing climate.
If you witness a wildfire the advice from Devon and Somerset fire rescue is:
- Stay calm
- Ensure you are in a safe location (away from vegetation and smoke)
- If you are in your car, close all windows and vents
- Call 999 immediately. Tell the fire control the location, size, and any relevant information including the address, OS, or What3Words location
We have awarded this article the Nature and Biodiversity badge to highlight the importance of taking action to protect our environment. Especially against the impacts of extreme weather during the warmer months.
