Firefighters were called out to tackle a bonfire that spread to a shed and nearby hedges in Montgomeryshire this week.

On Monday, May 23 at 11.47am, fire crews from Montgomery responded to a call of a fire that had engulfed a shed and some hedges near Churchstoke.

The fire had begun as a bonfire that was too close to the shed, igniting the building before spreading to the hedges and trees nearby.

Firefighters extinguished the fire using two hose reel jets, using a thermal imagine camera to monitor the situation and assess the risk of the fire as it was dealt with.

The Fire Service left the incident at 1.15pm.

Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service have urged people to carefully consider if it is necessary to burn their rubbish and instead use their local authority’s waste disposal services.

They advise that if it is essential to burn rubbish, anyone doing so should follow a set of rules advocated by the National Fire Chiefs Council.

  • If it is necessary, bonfires should be sited well away from buildings, fences, trees and garden structures.
  • If possible, the burning of rubbish should take place within a garden incinerator, which should be placed on an even, non-combustible surface such as a patio slab.
  • Flammable liquids and accelerants should never be used to start a bonfire.
  • It also advises that means to control and extinguish the bonfire should be on hand at all times, and that anyone starting a bonfire should check with local laws and by-lines to see if theirs complies.
  • In the event of an emergency, the public are recommended to always call 999 rather than try and deal with the situation themselves.