Could you join the fire service’s Wildfire Prevention Patrol team?

Members of the patrol group will act as the eyes and ears of the fire service this summer and receive valuable training for spotting and reporting fires in the countryside.

The service is keen to hear from residents who either live in Crawley, Horsham or Midhurst, or regularly visit the towns for ventures in the countryside – such as dog walkers and walking groups.

Those willing to volunteer their time will do so on an ad hoc basis; there is no requirement to fulfil a set number of hours - patrols can be carried out at any time when individuals are already in the area.

"Wildfires pose a significant risk to our countryside, homes and businesses,” the service said.

"As we enter the warmer summer months the risk of a significant wildfire taking hold and causing extensive damage rises considerably.

“By becoming a member of the patrol group, you will play a key part in preventing devastating fires from taking hold of our countryside, and subsequently protect the environment and wildfire that inhabit these areas.

“Data shows that there has already been more wildfires in England and Wales this year compared to the same period in 2022, which was a record year for wildfires.”

Training sessions will be held on the following dates for anyone keen to hear more about what’s involved. You can attend either session:

Wednesday 23 April, 6pm until 7pm

Friday 25 April, 11am until 12pm

The session will cover what a wildfire is, what to look out for and how to report any observations made. The reports received will help us identify trends and target our future prevention activity.

Training will be held online via Microsoft Teams and anyone interested should email [email protected] to sign up.