FREEDOM OF INFORMATON ACT 2000

REFERENCE NUMBER 022-20 CATEGORY Incidents & Emergency Response TITLE Wildfires PUBLICATION DATE 27/08/2020

I refer to your request for information which was received by East Fire & Rescue Service on 4 February 2020. This has been dealt with under the Freedom of Information Act.

Request:

I am currently an undergraduate at Coventry University undertaking a research project on the risk of wildfires to the South East . I was wondering if the following question could be raised to the appropriate member of your team.

I was wondering whether you have any data available on the locations of wildfires that have happened recently in a spreadsheet, or similar, format? This will assist with validating the model I am creating? Any data of any kind would be greatly appreciated and extremely useful. As it is for an academic project I am on quite a strict deadline so if this data could be available by the end of the week that would be really helpful!

Response:

Please see attached which is the most up to date information we hold. Please note the following definition of wildfires used for the recording of this information:

Definition of a wildfire based on the FRS Wildfire Operational Guidance document definition:

These are fires in the open affecting vegetation, e.g. woodland, grassland, crops, shrub land etc. that have to meet at least one or more of the following criteria:

■ Involves a geographical area of >1 hectare. ■ Requires a committed resource of ≥ 4 FRS appliances. ■ Requires resources to be committed for ≥ 6 hours. ■ Has a sustained flame length > 1.5m*. ■ Presents a serious threat to life, environment, property and infrastructure*.

* Not yet recorded on the Incident Recording System

18/07/15 19/06/15 06/06/15 21/04/15 18/04/15 11/04/15 09/04/15 25/09/14 01/09/14 08/08/14 17/05/14

Date of incident Ridge , Crowborough Ridge Hastings, Forest Row Ri Hastings, Crowborough Battle Newhaven dge

The The The

Station Ground of Incident Fire Fire Fire Fire Fire Fire Fire Fire Fire Fire Fire

Incident Category Outdoor/Grassland, woodland and crops/Heathland or moorland Outdoor/Grassland, woodland and crops/Heathland or moorland Outdoor/Grassland, woodland and crops/Scrub land Outdoor/Grassland, woodland and crops/Heathland or moorland Outdoor/Grassland, woodland and crops/Heathland or moorland Outdoor/Grassland, woodland and crops/Heathland or moorland Outdoor/Grassland, woodland and etc crops/Grassland, pasture, grazing Outdoor/Grassland, manureheap) crops/Stacked/baled crop (incl Outdoor/Grassland, woodland and crops/Straw/stubble burning Outdoor/Grassland, woodland and crops/Scrub land Outdoor/Grassland, woodland and

woodland and

Property Type SHOVERS GREEN HOUSE,SHOVERS GREEN,WADHURST, NORTH SEAT,ORE,HASTINGS, ANDCROW GATE PH,CROWBOROUGH, TACKLEWAY,OLD TOWN,HASTINGS, BEACONSFIELD ROAD,CHELWOOD GATE, FAIRLIGHTCOUNTRY PARK,COASTGUARD LANE,FAIRLIGHT, CARBOXES PARK,A22,ASHDOWN FOREST, GROVE FARM,A21,ROBERTSBRIDGE, PELHAM RISE,, DRIVE TOPHILL CLOSE,MILEOAK,PORTSLADE,NEAR SIDEHILL HARRISON ROCKS,HARRISONS ROCKS,GROOMBRIDGE,

Address 565170 584356 548152 582842 542275 585964 546374 573966 542761 524853 553195

Eastings 129812 111888 129335 109682 129756 111613 129137 122967 102361 106647 135486

Northings crops/Woodland/forest - conifers/softwood Outdoor/Grassland, woodland and 22/08/15 Broad Oak Fire COURT LODGE FARM,SHOREHAM LANE,EWHURST GREEN, 579498 125097 crops/Straw/stubble burning Hastings, The Outdoor/Grassland, woodland and 22/04/16 Fire NORTH SEAT,ORE,HASTINGS, 584150 111948 Ridge crops/Heathland or moorland Hastings, Outdoor/Grassland, woodland and 24/08/16 Fire BREADSELL LANE,TELHAM,BATTLE, 577346 112890 Bohemia Rd crops/Standing crop Outdoor/Grassland, woodland and FARM LAND BEHIND,BALMORAL CLOSE,SEAFORD,NEAR 24/08/16 Seaford Fire crops/Stacked/baled crop (incl 549343 100740 NEAR QUEENS WAY manure heap) Outdoor/Grassland, woodland and STREETFIELD FARM,CADE STREET,CADE 20/10/16 Heathfield Fire crops/Stacked/baled crop (incl 560519 121575 STREET,HEATHFIELD, manure heap) Hastings, The Outdoor/Grassland, woodland and 11/04/17 Fire NORTH SEAT,ORE,HASTINGS, 584343 111895 Ridge crops/Heathland or moorland Outdoor/Grassland, woodland and DOWN ASH FARM,ROSEMARY LANE,FLIMWELL,NEAR TN5 11/04/17 Wadhurst Fire crops/Grassland, pasture, grazing 569432 131293 7PS etc Hastings, Outdoor/Grassland, woodland and BULVERHYTHE PLAYING FIELDS,BULVERHYTHE ROAD,ST 14/04/17 Fire 576940 108733 Bohemia Rd crops/Scrub land LEONARDS,HASTINGS, Outdoor/Grassland, woodland and LINTONS CAR PARK,COLEMANS HATCH ROAD,COLEMANS 17/04/17 Forest Row Fire 544077 132533 crops/Scrub land HATCH, Outdoor/Grassland, woodland and 04/06/17 Crowborough Fire LIME KILN WOOD,PALESGATE LANE,CROWBOROUGH, 553000 131500 crops/Scrub land Outdoor/Grassland, woodland and ST MARYS FARM,RIDGE ROAD,FALMER,NEAR MIDDLE 16/08/17 Preston Circus Fire 535427 108964 crops/Standing crop STREET Outdoor/Grassland, woodland and KINGS STANDING CAR PARK ASHDOWN FOREST HIGH 23/04/18 Crowborough Fire 547327 130116 crops/Heathland or moorland ROAD DUDDLESWELL Outdoor/Grassland, woodland and STREET RECORD LIMEKILN FOREST ROAD ROTHERFIELD 01/07/18 Crowborough Fire crops/Woodland/forest - 553338 130903 EAST SUSSEX TN6 3HG conifers/softwood Outdoor/Grassland, woodland and STREET RECORD STATION ROAD CROWHURST EAST 12/07/18 Battle Fire crops/Stacked/baled crop (incl 575797 112308 SUSSEX TN33 9AJ manure heap) Outdoor/Grassland, woodland and CLAYHILL NURSERIES ROAD RINGMER EAST 16/07/18 Barcombe Fire crops/Stacked/baled crop (incl 544294 114037 SUSSEX BN8 5RU manure heap) Outdoor/Grassland, woodland and STREET RECORD OLD WILLINGDON ROAD FRISTON EAST 21/07/18 Fire crops/Grassland, pasture, grazing 555856 99126 SUSSEX BN20 0AT etc Outdoor/Grassland, woodland and BERWICK COURT FARM ALFRISTON ROAD BERWICK EAST 25/07/18 Seaford Fire crops/Grassland, pasture, grazing 551904 104083 SUSSEX BN26 5QS etc Outdoor/Grassland, woodland and STREET RECORD PARK ROAD HELLINGLY EAST SUSSEX 06/08/18 Herstmonceux Fire crops/Grassland, pasture, grazing 559037 112302 BN27 4EP etc Outdoor/Grassland, woodland and MILE OAK FARM MILE OAK ROAD PORTSLADE 08/08/18 Hove Fire 524724 109564 crops/Straw/stubble burning & HOVE BN41 2RF Outdoor/Grassland, woodland and STREET RECORD CHUCK HATCH LANE HARTFIELD EAST 14/01/19 Crowborough Fire 545594 132610 crops/Heathland or moorland SUSSEX TN7 4ES Outdoor/Grassland, woodland and STREET RECORD CHUCK HATCH ROAD HARTFIELD EAST 26/02/19 Crowborough Fire crops/Woodland/forest - 546477 131662 SUSSEX TN7 4EX conifers/softwood Outdoor/Grassland, woodland and STREET RECORD FALMER ROAD BRIGHTON BRIGHTON & 26/03/19 Roedean Fire crops/Stacked/baled crop (incl 535910 106918 HOVE BN2 6QE manure heap)