Police patrols stepped up following fires in the dunes at Southport

23rd April 2020

Following the two fires in the dunes at Southport this week, we continue to work with Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service and @Green_Sefton to try and identify those responsible.

Firefighters tackle Ainsdale sand dunes blaze

The Sefton Coastline is a ‘no-barbecue’ zone. Together we will be actively discouraging people from taking barbecues to the beach and other dune areas, such as the Jubilee Trail and the old sandworks, where groups have been seen gathering. The risk of fire spreading is high, due to the long period of hot and dry weather. In addition, where groups are gathered, there may be breaches to the Covid-19 restrictions.

These areas and more will be patrolled over the coming weekend, utilising all our off road capacity vehicles.

We understand that under normal circumstances this period of warm weather would make people want to be outside and visit tourist areas. We are concerned that more vehicles are on the roads than earlier in the restrictions. Please remember, the Covid-19 pandemic is far from over. The government instructions to stay at home remain in place. The only reasons you should leave your home are:

1: shopping for basic necessities, for example food and medicine, which must be as infrequent as possible

2: one form of exercise a day, for example a run, walk, or cycle – alone or with members of your household

3: any medical need, including to donate blood, avoid or escape risk of injury or harm, or to provide care or to help a vulnerable person

4: travelling for work purposes, but only where you cannot work from home

In addition, we continue to get calls about people not of the same family gathering at homes. Please remember you should not be visiting, or being visited by anyone that does not live at your home address, to reduce the risk of spreading the virus. Do not try to ‘get around’ the restrictions which are in place to reduce the risk of spreading this potentially lethal virus.

Stay safe.

#StayHomeSaveLives

ANOTHER Grass and gorse fire at Ainsdale Beach