Big Fire Risk

After the recent article on the Big Stink I feel the need to follow up with another one on the Big Risk, namely Fire bearing in mind the moorland infernos.

Current weather forecasts suggest that there will not be any letup In the midst of this heatwave until the middle of July at the earliest bar the occasional thunderstorm. The drought is now getting so serious that dairy farmers will shortly be forced to put their herds onto winter rations to cope with the lack of grass, which has obvious implications for their winter production.

During the great drought of 1976 I was, in my insurance capacity, involved in many fire claims mostly due to careless drivers casually disposing of cigarette butts which set fire to roadside crops and hedges. But perhaps the most memorable case involved a lady who took some waste cardboard out of her garden and set fire to it on a strip of grass adjoining a ten acre field of wheat. It burned well as did most of the wheat crop and put her house at risk into the bargain.

So my message to those who either weren't around in 76 or whose early onset dementia has placed the memory in the bottom drawer, is this, do not light bonfires of any sort until this drought has ended, which will be September if past experience is anything to go by. In these conditions even bonfires contained in closed yards can lead to trouble as burning particles drift skywards and should they lodge in a neighbour's conifer tree, whoosh as many conifers contain turpentine. In addition, still with my insurance hat on, be aware that in today's challenging litigious climate, negligent actions on your part could lead to civil proceedings for compensation or even manslaughter if a death is involved. A temporary total bonfire ban is the sort of forward thinking policy that Cheshire East should be coming up with if these conditions persist.

Of course we have all got the barbeques out, having patiently waited the odd decade or so for a shirtless experience as opposed to the normal raincoat job and now is their moment to be enjoyed to the full. But be careful and keep the hosepipe handy. Don't trash the charcoal ashes until you are sure that they are completely cold. Also make sure that you keep the grass cut short around your property in a time of drought because whilst long grass is great for nature conservation it can become a real fire hazard when it dries out and crisps. Remember, it is easy to light a fire but a darn sight harder to put it out, let alone control its direction of travel in conditions like this.

One final word of warning, if we should experience a very severe winter after this heat, don't ever be tempted to put a mobile gas heater in your bathroom as one elderly client of mine once did. For whilst seated on the throne of idle contemplation, he pushed the button to light it and the resulting explosion propelled the bathroom window many yards down the garden path leaving the gentleman shocked and severely singed.

Whilst the policy covered all costs appertaining to bathroom repairs and a new window, the terms and conditions specifically excluded unblocking the loo! Have a safe summer.
Peter Morgan

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