Hot weather water and fire safety warning

With exceptionally dry and warm weather predicted for forthcoming days, South Wales Fire and Rescue Service are urging members of the public to act responsibly.

With temperatures forecast to surge to more than 30 degrees centigrade over July 18^th and 19^th and potentially beyond, the Service would like to ask the public in South Wales to think twice before doing anything which involves a naked flame or open water.

Head of Community Safety for South Wales Fire and Rescue Service, St John Towell, said:

“The key issues for us over the next few days are the hot, dry conditions coupled with any moderate to strong winds over the higher ground which could increase the risk of wildfires across the area. Fires destroy countryside and are often caused by carelessness. We urge people enjoying the countryside to do so safely.

“Unfortunately, we see tragic incidents of accidental drownings when the weather is warmer, as people attempt to cool off in open water. We are urging people to never be tempted to jump into any open water or swim in open water where it is not an organised event – it may be warm outside, but the water is often not.”

We are encouraging the public to follow the below safety advice:

• Listen to the advice from Public Health Wales on measures to reduce the impact of the adverse heat.

Current weather conditions mean a high risk of accidental fires and wildfires, so we advise:

• If outdoors – there is a high risk of accidental fires from barbecues, lit cigarettes, glass bottles and the like, so please discard these materials responsibly.
• Do not burn any waste, for example refuse or garden waste – please use local authority waste collection, recycling and composting services instead.
• As well as helping to keep your house cooler, we recommend turning off electrical appliances which are not in use, to prevent any electrics overheating. Our advice is always to never overload sockets, through keeping to one plug per socket.
• If you see a fire or anyone starting one, please call 999 so that it can be tackled as soon as possible.

Respect the water, if trying to cool off around waterways:

• Water can still be cold in summertime, so beware of cold water shock.
• Water levels are lower due to the sustained dry spell, so don’t dive into unfamiliar water.
• Reservoirs and quarries are usually not safe places to swim, unless authorised. Visit Welsh Water’s guidance on reservoirs
• If in danger, float to live, don’t enter the water to rescue someone or a pet – call 999 immediately if there is danger to life.
• In the event of danger in the water, if inland – ask for the fire service. At the coast – ask for the coastguard.

For more water safety information, visit our water safety webpage.