Thames Valley Police issues warning after further weekend of field fires including arson attacks

Thames Valley Police officers were at the scene of a number of field fires this weekend, including a major blaze in Wendover.

Yesterday (14 August), the police force which covers Milton Keynes and Aylesbury revealed some fires had been started deliberately.

A Thames Valley Police spokesperson said: “We are still receiving a lot of reports of field fires, some of which are arson.”

As the spokesperson advised residents to avoid using disposable barbeques in the extreme heat, and to safely dispose of cigarettes and glass bottles.

As well as attempting to extinguish a large blaze which destroyed a field near Wendover, Bucks Fire and Rescue Service dealt with at least another three fires.

Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service which has had to send additional support to nearby counties during the heatwave, announced its teams were sent to 15 fires in just one day last Monday (8 August).

That same day in Milton Keynes four different wildfires were reported just eight hours apart.

Aylesbury has seen a number of confirmed blazes, one of the suspected arson attacks was reported in Elmhurst Road on Tuesday.

Bucks is one of the areas the Environment Agency declared was experiencing a drought on Friday.

Thames Valley is set to get some relief from the hot temperatures and lack of rainfall this evening, when thunderstorms are anticipated across the UK.

The Met Office has issued a yellow warning which could affect the Thames Valley later today and tomorrow.

Met Office deputy chief meteorologist Jason Kelly said: “The current hot weather will make way for a thundery breakdown from the west, which will spread south and east in the early part of next week. Ahead of this, isolated but intense thunderstorms are possible Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.

“The warnings highlight the chance of some places seeing around 50mm of rain falling in a three-hour period in the north, with some areas further south possibly seeing around 30mm of rain in a three-hour period. Hail and frequent lightning are also possible as part of these downpours and represents an additional hazard.”