The risk of wildfires across moorland and grassland remains 'exceptionally high' as firefighters tackle large blazes across the UK.
The warning comes after a spate of wildfires, including one on Bamford Moor in Derbyshire’s Peak District on Saturday 30 May.
The fire, which is believed to have been started by a barbecue, was tackled by gamekeepers using their own specialist firefighting equipment until fire services arrived.
Firefighters have also recently battled gorse fires across Cornwall with blazes in Mullion, Penzance, St Ives and Launceston.
It also follows a series of fires in Scotland recently, including those at Glenfeshie in the Highlands, Strathpeffer in Rossshire and in Stirlingshire near Bannockburn.
Tim Baynes, moorland director at Scottish Land & Estates (SLE), said that private investment in equipment by estates which provides wildfire fighting service is estimated to be in the tens of millions of pounds.
“Each year we are witnessing more and more wildfires occurring on moorland and grassland and this period of exceptionally hot weather in the UK has heightened the risk once again," he said.
“These fires often occur by innocuous means such as discarded cigarettes and disposable barbecues and we need to ensure the correct precautions are taken by those accessing hills and moors.
"Sadly, those managing rural land have found more careless behaviour occurring since lockdown rather than less."
Wildfires are not only a safety risk for the public, but are also devastating for wildlife, particularly for ground nesting birds, insects and mammals, Mr Baynes said.
"We would urge the public to take care and leave items such as barbecues at home."
Wildfires in the UK are becoming more frequent. 2018 and 2019 together saw more damage caused by wildfires than the entirety of the previous decade, with nearly 50,000ha destroyed in over 200 wildfires.
