Not all heroes wear capes
A farmer has been branded a “hero” after saving his neighbour’s homes from a wildfire that was already ravaging the local crops and fields.
Farmer Bill Alexander “rapidly stepped in” on Saturday after a wildfire broke out in a field near Maidstone, Kent. While firefighters rushed the scene, Alexander jumped in his tractor and created a firebreak by mowing down crops.
#Exclusive #heatwave
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'#FarmerTime: farmer Bill Alexander used tractor to cut crops around the #fire to help slow it down'; #firefighters were called to scene to tackle a huge 'crop blaze' that broke out in field in lenham, heath, #KENT'; #Heatwave2022 #heatwaveuk pic.twitter.com/rqEc6CDLOS— Ch.Amjad Ali (@saada186) July 24, 2022
The fire had already spread over 20 acres, but Alexander jumped in as the wind turned and funnelled the flames towards a neighbour’s house. Remarkable footage showed the man using his tractor to carve out a path in the barley.
Bill Alexander @WHAlexander1 performing heroics in my field this afternoon – you made the national news Bill! #goodneighbour pic.twitter.com/AhUHSm5GY1
— Andy Barr (@EwenMcEwen) July 23, 2022
The video was captured by the farm’s owner Andy Barr, who applauded his “good neighbour” and wrote: “Please tell everyone to be careful what they do along roads and paths, 20ha of spring barley up in flames.
“This pic from my son was when the wind turned towards my brother’s house, luckily Bill Alexander and Jonny & Ellie from TCAgri saved the day.”
Also many, many thanks to @kentfirerescue who were brilliant and are facing far too many of these at the moment pic.twitter.com/JTRlXz71Mw
— Andy Barr (@EwenMcEwen) July 23, 2022
The flames were roaring for 90 minutes before the experts extinguished them. Thankfully, no residents were injured.
“We were sent to reports of a standing crop fire in fields on Lenham Heath,” a spokesperson for the firefighters said. “Crews worked hard to get the fire under control which covered approximately eight hectares, the equivalent of almost 20 acres.
He added: “The fire has been brought under control and put out. Firefighters escorted persons who were in the vicinity to safety. There are no reports of any injuries.”
Such phenomena are becoming more frequent as the temperature increases. Just last week, as Europe battled temperatures of 40C, fires sprung up in Croatia, Greece, Spain, France and on our own turf. London Fire Brigade to declare a major incident as a result.
Related stories:
- Now there’s a yellow warning for thunderstorms after three days of emergency warnings over the heat
- Apocalyptic scenes as train grinds to a halt in the middle of blazing wildfires
- UK may hit ‘ferocious’ 41C as hottest day on record expected to be smashed
