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Thank You to Our Firefighters at Crookham Common
- 4 days ago
- 2 min read
Over the weekend, firefighters from across Berkshire and Oxfordshire worked for more than 21 hours to bring a serious wildfire under control at Crookham Common, with crews carrying out further inspections to contain ongoing hotspots.
Around two hectares of scrubland in Thatcham were affected, and I want to sincerely thank every firefighter and emergency responder who, at a moment’s notice and under extreme pressure, put themselves in harm’s way to protect our community and natural environment.
This is an exceptionally dangerous and volatile period for wildfires. Just this year, Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue has responded to more than 250 fires in the open.
Equally, across the country, we’ve seen devastating images of houses burning and precious landscapes being destroyed. With the climate emergency causing more and more extreme weather events, the Government must do all it can to ensure our fire and rescue services have the resources and equipment they need to respond in all conditions. After receiving over 75,600 emergency calls between 1 April and 9 July, (31% more than the previous five-year average), this is now a national priority.
The blaze at Crookham Common is another stark reminder that preparing for these threats cannot be a reactive, piecemeal approach as summer approaches. It requires a proper, long-term strategy to make our country more resilient to extreme weather, alongside sustainable funding for the stretched crews on the frontline.
That is why, alongside my Liberal Democrat colleagues, I signed EDM 2875 earlier this year calling on the Government to review the fire and rescue funding settlement to ensure rural services across Berkshire receive fair and sustainable funding.
As the heat starts to ease, we will continue to urge the Government to urgently ramp up their support and planning. But, for now, thank you to Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service, Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue, Berkshire Lowland Search and Rescue Drone Team and all emergency responders for your courage and dedication in keeping our local environment and residents safe.
