Firefighters in Royal Berkshire had a busy weekend with fires in parks and people’s gardens leading to lots of call outs.
Crews from around the county were called to nearly 20 fires between Friday 7 April and Sunday 9 April.
Firefighters dealt with these while also responding to calls to house fires, a fire in a shop and a boat fire as well as a number of road traffic collisions where they helped people get free from their cars and made the scene safe.
Following the incidents, Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service (RBFRS) is advising residents and visitors to the county to take extra care while enjoying the Easter bank holiday in the county.
Station Manager Steve Beard, RBFRS’ Prevention Manager, said: “Our fire crews have worked hard over the weekend to ensure people enjoyed the warm weather safely. We responded in a timely manner on numerous occasions where small fires got out of control.
“The weekend’s incidents included fires started by discarded smoking materials, bonfires too close to other flammable items and barbeques being left unattended. This demonstrates how a change in weather can rapidly change people’s habits and the risks that we face just by burning rubbish in our gardens or having a barbecue.
“While enjoying the warm weather and long weekend, we’re urging people to stay safe and there are lots of hints and tips to help with that in the outdoors safety section of our website.
“Also in some of the calls we responded to this weekend, well-intended neighbours had reported seeing smoke or that they could smell burning so one tip to avoid a visit from us is to make your neighbours aware that you will be burning items or holding a barbecue.”
More information about fire safety outdoors can be found on the RBFRS website here www.rbfrs.co.uk/your-safety/out-and-about/
Notable incidents between Friday 7 April and Sunday 9 April:
Friday 7 April
At 11.55am, firefighters from Maidenhead were called to a fire in a garden at Beechwood Gardens in Slough.
At 1.17pm, two crews from Newbury and a crew from Dee Road Fire Station were called to a fire in the open on Speen Lane, Newbury.
At 7.30pm, crews from Maidenhead and Slough fire stations were called to a bonfire in the garden of a house on Cedars Road, Maidenhead.
At 11.53pm, a crew from Maidenhead were called to an incident where a bench in the play area of the sports ground on Braywick Road, Maidenhead, was on fire.
Saturday 8 April
At 11.57am, a crew from Caversham Road Fire Station was called to an incident where a tree was on fire on the footpath near the River Sonning off Milestone Avenue. They used a ladder, small cutting gear and a water back pack to reach the fire and put it out.
At 2.03pm, a crew from Whitley Wood Fire Station were called to a camp fire in the woods just off Station Road, Woolhampton, Reading.
At 2.45pm, firefighters from Newbury Fire Station were called to an unlit bonfire on Park Way, Hungerford.
At 7.42pm, a crew from Slough Fire Station was called to York Avenue, Slough, to reports that black smoke could be seen in the area. The fire turned out to be a bonfire that was being properly supervised.
At 9.50pm, firefighters from Langley Fire Station were called to Grampian Way, Slough, to a fire in the alleyway behind some shops.
Sunday 9 April
At 9.48am, a crew from Wokingham Road Fire Station was called to a fence and some bushes that had caught fire.
At 11.20am, firefighters from Slough Fire Station were called to a report of a fire in the open on Sussex Place, Slough.
At 11.23, a crew from Wokingham Road Fire Station was called to a fire in the open on Forest Road, Binfield.
At 12.50pm, firefighters from Wokingham Road Fire Station were called to reports of a bonfire being out of control. Firefighters gave advice to people at the scene on arriving there.
At 2.53pm, crews from Maidenhead and Caversham Road fire stations along with officers and crews form Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service were called to Mill Lane, Hurley. A 20ft boat was alight and crews used hose reels to contain the fire and limit the damage. They gave oxygen therapy to a 66-year-old man who was then transferred to the care of SCAS and later went to hospital.
At 2.56pm, a crew from Bracknell Fire Station were called to Rosset Close, Bracknell, after a shed caught fire and spread to a fence. Firefighters in breathing apparatus tackled the fire using hose reels.
At 4.16pm, firefighters from Dee Road Fire Station were called to a fire in a tree trunk on The Meadway, Reading.
At 5.10pm, a crew from Wokingham Road Fire Station was called to a small fire in the kitchen of a flat on George Street, Reading. The blaze was out on arrival and firefighters gave advice to the resident.
At 5.59pm, two crews from Slough Fire Station were called to a fire in the kitchen of a take away on Queen Street, Maidenhead. Firefighters in breathing apparatus used a hose reel and an extinguisher to put the fire out.
At 7.25pm, firefighters from Newbury Fire Station were called to a fire in the open on Castle Lane, Donnington. They used a water back pack to put the fire out.