Farmers rush to help contain Shropshire wildfire

Farmers in Shropshire rushed to the rescue when a fire broke out on the Callow, near Bromlow, on Thursday (3 July) – an area of the Shropshire Hills known for its outstanding natural beauty.

The blaze spread quickly, and homes and businesses were evacuated, with fire engines from across the county responding swiftly.

However, farmers from the area swung into action to help tackle the blaze, which residents say made a critical difference.

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Aiding the rescue efforts were Stewart Gittins, Tommy Adams, Dave Jarratt, Nathan Gittins and Jamie Morris, who without hesitation mobilised their tractors and tankers to gather water from local streams and pools.

“The borehole was practically empty due to the recent dry weather, and our farmers worked shoulder-to-shoulder with the fire crews to help eventually contain and extinguish the fire,” said resident Caroline Batchelor.

“Their knowledge of the land, quick thinking and co-ordinated action helped prevent what could have been a far more devastating event,” she said.

Mrs Batchelor said the recent emergency highlighted remarkable community spirit, resilience and showcased the invaluable role farmers play – “not just in food production, but in protecting our countryside and communities”.

Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service station manager Craig Jason added his thanks to the farming community.

“I’d like to thank members of the farming community in Bromlow who helped support our crews while we were damping down a wildfire,” said Mr Jason.

Once the initial fire was under control there was still smouldering grass and debris.

The extra support from farmers with their water bowsers, meant fire crews were able to use a great deal more water in a shorter space of time.

“Therefore, we were able to bring the incident to a close much sooner,” he added.

Mr Jason added that it is not recommend for members of the public to tackle incidents themselves, though.

It is understood that some firefighters were still at the scene on Friday (4 July) continuing to damp down the area and ensure there are no remaining hotspots.