ESSEX Fire Control team has been busy dealing with calls and maintaining fire cover across the county as the warm weather continues. 

Yesterday (Friday 18 July) firefighters tackled three large field fires. 

Crews were called to 15 hectares of standing crop alight in Stifford Clays, Grays at 9.53am. 

Firefighters from Grays, Orsett, Basildon, Rayleigh were sent to the incident. As well as a crew with an off-road vehicle from Billericay and a water bowser from Corringham.   

Neighbours helped with access to the field and the farmer used his tractor to create a fire break and help the crews. 

In the afternoon, firefighters from across the county were sent to two large field fires in Rayleigh and Witham. 

Firefighters from Rayleigh, Basildon, Leigh, Wickford, Hawkwell, Southend, Billericay, Brentwood, Grays and Corringham were called to a 3 hectare field fire on Amersham Court, Rayleigh at 3.38pm. 

Crews worked hard to stop the fire from spreading to nearby properties. One outbuilding was damaged by the fire. 

Soon after, crews from Witham, Wethersfield, Maldon, Burnham, Billericay, Southend , Chelmsford, Saffron Walden, Ingatestone, Tiptree and Basildon were called to an incident on Conrad Road, Witham at 5.21pm. 

They worked extremely hard to extinguish a 30 hectare field fire. 

Reducing the risk of wildfires

The sunny and dry weather we are experiencing increases the risk of wildfires, so please follow our safety advice.

• Make sure you stub out cigarettes properly and discard them responsibly
• Avoid lighting campfires or barbecues in the countryside. If you do, make sure they are fully extinguished before you dispose of them
• Never leave barbecues or bonfires unattended
• Discard your rubbish, especially glass bottles, responsibly