Natural England

Natural England is urging those enjoying the countryside over the Bank Holiday weekend to follow the Countryside Code. After a record breaking April there is a heightened risk of fire, which can devastate wildlife, landscapes and livelihoods.

Natural England is advising walkers to take extra care not to drop a match or smouldering cigarette, and not to light barbeques or gas stoves without the land manager's permission.

Roger Ward, head of Natural England's access programme advised: “We want visitors to the countryside to feel confident and safe when out and about during the summer months, and the best way to do this is by planning ahead. Natural England is encouraging visitors to stay safe by following local signs, advice from visitor centres and the Countryside and Moorland Codes.”

Mr. Ward added: “With increasingly hot and dry conditions looking set to become a fact of life during English summers, we must all learn to take extra care and vigilance.”

In order to get the best enjoyment, visitors are advised to check for fire restrictions before setting out on a walk. Whenever possible, restrictions and closures will be shown on the open access maps available for viewing on www.countrysideaccess.gov.uk, and reinforced by signs on the ground.

Walking on access land gives you the chance to enjoy vast areas of England's outdoors without the need to stick to paths. Commonly known as the 'right to roam' this right covers some of England's most wild and dramatic landscapes, heaths, moors, down and areas of registered common land.

To read the Countryside and Moorland Codes, to check for fire restrictions and to find out where to go to explore newly opened access land, visit www.countrysideaccess.gov.uk.

-ENDS-

For further information please contact the Natural England press office on: 0845 603 9953 or 07970 098005 (out of hours)

Notes for editors:

Advice on fire prevention:

• Do not extinguish cigarettes on the ground
• Do not throw cigarette butts out of car windows
• Respect warning signs and restrictions on access land
• Only use BBQs, camp fires, gas stoves etc in designated areas
• During high fire risk times moorland and heathland may be patrolled by rangers, wardens and gamekeepers - please respect any local signs or requests to move to another area for your safety

Fire prevention restrictions under the CROW Act (2000)
Fire prevention restrictions aim to minimise accidental fires by suspending open access rights when conditions are exceptional. However, fires can and will occur at any time of year, either accidentally or most regrettably, by act of arson, and there will naturally be times of the year or times in the cycle of the vegetation when there is a heightened risk of fires spreading readily. The Relevant Authorities are responsible under the CROW Act for making reasonable efforts to identify when exceptional conditions occur, beyond what you would normally expect, and for suspending open access rights on vulnerable land as necessary.

To inform our decisions on a national scale, the Met Office have developed a Fire Severity Index (FSI), to give an objective way to show when exceptional conditions occur. The index has been in place since September 2004 and the Met Office is continuing to monitor results and look at ways to further improve the FSI.

How does the FSI work?
The FSI uses information such as wind speed, temperature, time of year and rainfall to produce a fire severity assessment. It provides an objective means of identifying exceptional conditions on a national scale, which is the trigger for activating fire prevention restrictions. A daily FSI rating is displayed per 10 km OS grid square from 1 to 5 (very low to exceptional) on the potential severity of a fire should it occur. It also provides a five-day forecast for fire severity ratings.

How do fire prevention restrictions work?
When the FSI reaches 5 fire prevention restrictions can be activated on land vulnerable to fire. Where a fire prevention restriction is triggered, the restriction will remain in place after the FSI has dropped below 5 for a number of days. This is to allow a wind down period, ensuring that exceptional conditions have passed.

Natural England
Natural England works for people, places and nature to conserve and enhance biodiversity, landscapes and wildlife in rural, urban, coastal and marine areas. We conserve and enhance the natural environment for its intrinsic value, the wellbeing and enjoyment of people, and the economic prosperity it brings.