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More on KentOnline
A farmer whose livelihood was destroyed by a grass fire says he feared the devastating blaze could have cost lives.
Five fire engines and two multi-terrain vehicles were sent to Geoffrey Philpott’s farm in Broadstairs, where a blaze was rapidly spreading to a huge area of land – including a field full of horses.
Mr Philpott had been working away from his farm on August 5 last year, when he received a call informing him one of his fields was on fire.
By the time he had rushed to the scene about 10 minutes later, the flames had spread to 14 acres of corn.
“It was just devastating," said Mr Philpott.
"You spend 10 months growing a crop. You’ve nurtured it, cared for it and it’s just about to harvest, and then it’s all just wiped out in no time at all. You’re left with nothing.
“The fire spread rapidly and destroyed a fence to a field where at least 40 horses were at the time.
"Suddenly, you’ve got a lot of animals scared because of the heat and the flames, so they had to be quickly moved.
“A fire takes no prisoners, it just destroys everything in its path. There were people’s lives at risk.
"Nothing prepares you for that experience. Seeing it unfold is just incredible."
Firefighters used jets of water, off-road fogging units and beaters to extinguish the flames.
They also worked with the farm workers to create a fire break around the fields to stop the flames from spreading.
But the damage to Mr Philpott’s livelihood was sadly irreversible.
“The crops were destroyed," he said.
"But in situations like this, you have to take stock, and think thank goodness no-one was hurt.
"We're all still here - it can be rectified. You just lose, sort of, six months of your life trying to reset to where you were before the fire started."
Mr Philpott's land continues to recover from the fire and thankfully, he and his team have been able to continue growing crops.
Following the terrifying ordeal, he is now backing a campaign run by the fire service aimed at reducing accidental grass fires by educating the public about how to help and stay safe.
“Grass fires have a devastating knock-on effect," he said.
"Not only do you lose your crop but it puts people’s jobs at risk, due to the potential amount of damage, or you might lose supply contracts for other businesses that you’ve been growing a specialist crop for. It’s not just a field that’s burnt to the ground.”
Last year, fire crews in Kent alone responded to 617 accidental grass fires - an increase of almost 200 incidents on the previous year.
The incident at Mr Philpott's farm happened in August, when hot temperatures and strong winds made the conditions especially treacherous.
Most grass fires happen between May and September, when grassland can get very dry, and 2020 was no exception - with 83% of all grass fires that year happening in the summer months.
Kent Fire and Rescue Service's station manager, Shaun Humphries, was officer-in-charge at the incident. Although the exact cause remains unknown, he is stressing the importance of taking extra care when enjoying the outdoors this summer.
“Grass fires have a devastating impact, not just on livelihoods but wildlife, property, and lives can even be put at risk," he said.
"A majority of these types of fires are preventable however, and we can all play a part in making sure they don’t happen in the first place.
“Enjoy the outdoors, but please be responsible and think about the consequences of your actions – lighting a bonfire or barbecue too close to greenery, or throwing a hot cigarette onto the ground, are common causes of grass fires we attend.
"So, please think before you act, and protect yourself and everyone else, by following our simple safety tips.”
For more information, visit the KFRS website.
