Every summer, Merseyside firefighters see a dramatic rise in the number of grass and rubbish fires, particularly during spells of hot weather and the school holidays.

Last year, throughout the summer months crews were called to almost 5000 small fires, with over 800 in June alone.

Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service’s Firewatch campaign is now well underway and staff have stepped up patrols in areas where small fires are most likely to occur – including parks and open spaces across Knowsley.

They are also working alongside other agencies to remove any build-up of combustible materials and visiting residents in hotspot areas to give out advice on how they can reduce the risk of small fires in their community – including storing their wheelie bins safely.

Local residents can help to keep their community safe by following these simple tips:

  Always extinguish your cigarette and any other smoking materials properly
  Store your wheelie bin away from the windows and doors of your property and where possible, store it behind locked gates
  Dispose of BBQs responsibly
  Don’t leave bottles or glass in woodland areas. Sunlight shining through glass can start fires so take them home or put them in a bin
  If you discover a fire or someone starting one, report it immediately by calling 999.

The Firewatch campaign is supported by community safety partnerships from each of the five borough’s across Merseyside.