Fire crews spend 90 minutes tackling camp fire on Lilleshall Hill
Officials have urged people to avoid having camp fires, after crews spent 90 minutes tackling a fire in Lilleshall.
At around 11.30am yesterday morning, firefighters were called from Market Drayton and Newport after reports of a fire in the open on Lilleshall Hill, near Newport.
Two fire appliances including the Incident Support Unit were mobilised by Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service fire control.
On arrival at the scene the crews discovered a smouldering fire on the hillside, which involved grass, undergrowth and bracken covering an area of approximately five square metres.
Firefighters had made their way up the hill on foot, due to their being no vehicle access for their fire engine.
Once they got there, it became evident that the cause of the fire was a campfire on the hillside which had spread out of control.
They used a high pressure lance and knapsack sprayers to put out the fire and to dampen a number of the hot spots.
On the Facebook post, a spokesperson for Market Drayton Fire Station urged people to avoid having camp fires, as the ground is still 'extremely dry'.
It reads: "Please can we ask that you still do not use disposable BBQs or have camp fires at this moment in time?
"Despite there having been some rain recently, the ground just under the surface remains extremely dry and can result in a fire rapidly spreading.
"Both appliances were detained at the incident for approximately ninety minutes damping down."
