Warning after 'substantial fires in the open'

Crews have issued a warning to members of the public after tackling two "substantial" fires in the open in Leicestershire overnight.

A fire at Shawell Quarry was reported at 19:51 BST on Sunday and attended by several crews across the county, as well as a water carrier from Loughborough station.

A service spokesperson said the fire - the cause of which has yet to be established - had been brought under control, adding crews would reinspect the site at 13:00 on Monday.

The spokesperson added crews also dealt with a significant fire at Garendon Park, off Ashby Road, Loughborough, at 22:12, and urged people to be "careful with anything that might spark a fire".

At the height of the Garendon Park fire, there were five fire engines in attendance.

The cause of the blaze remains undetermined, the spokesperson added, with the site due to be reinspected at 13:00 and 17:00 on Monday.

The fires come amid a number of wildfires across the UK and unprecedented hot and dry weather, with no rainfall recorded across the central England region for 15 days, the longest dry spell for 30 years.

This includes an ongoing wildfire at Tintwistle Moor in nearby Derbyshire, which first began on 24 June and saw a major incident declared. The blaze has affected about 260 hectares (642 acres) of moorland and woodland.

A Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said: "As we've been warning for some time, this continued spell of warm, dry weather means wildfires are more likely to start, and to spread widely and swiftly.

"While the cause of the fire has yet been established, it's worth bearing in mind that around 90% of all wildfires in the UK are the result of human behaviour - either accidentally or deliberately.

"Please be extra careful with anything that might spark a fire while out in the countryside, local parks, or even just in your garden, and always call 999 if you spot a fire in the open - never assume it's been reported already."

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