"Thousands of litres of water" needed to put out burning waste

Sunday 28 August 2022

Firefighters are warning against lighting fires during the hosepipe ban after being "forced" to use thousands of litres of water" to put out a pile of burning waste on someone's property.

Jersey Fire and Rescue Service said the blaze happened on Friday, "day one" of the hosepipe ban.

"The fire had been lit to burn waste material but due to the size of the fire and its location impinging on trees the decision was taken to extinguish it to prevent it spreading," they said.

"Unfortunately using water to extinguish the fire was the only viable option.

"We would like to take this opportunity to remind islanders that despite recent rainfall we are still experiencing an extended dry period and island water supplies are at a reduced level.

"The lighting of fires should be avoided to reduce the likelihood of a wildfire or further threat to water supplies."

Pictured: Due to its location, the fire started spreading to trees. (JFRS)

The hosepipe ban came into effect on Friday, with penalties of up to £2,000 for those who knowingly ignore it.

“The hot dry weather has meant that reservoir levels which currently stand at 68% full are some 10.5% lower than normal for this time of year," Jersey Water CEO Helier Smith explained.

"Reducing our water consumption through the introduction of these temporary restrictions will help reservoirs recover more quickly."