A FOREST councillor has asked if plans are in place to deal with a fire that consumed “a significant chunk” of the Dean.

Cllr Brian Robinson (Ind, Huntley and Longhope) raised the issue at a meeting of the Forest Council’s audit committee.

He said: ““We have had one of the driest winters and summers for a long time. Is that climate change or just a fluke? I don’t know.

“I just wondered if we are prepared for a major forest fire which perhaps consumed a significant chunk of the Dean and maybe a village or two as we like to live among our trees.

“While it’s not been a risk in the past we have dealt with, that’s mainly because it’s quite a wet Forest but if that is changing there will get a point when suddenly the trees can burn.”

Officers said they work with partners across the county on all kinds of civil emergency responses.

A spokesperson for Forestry England said the Forest of Dean is too wet for a catastrophic fire to be able to sweep across it in the current climate.

They said this could change by 2070 when they expect there will be more droughts and far hotter temperatures.

“Small, localised fires, however, can and do break out in the Forest, and these are locally damaging.

Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service say they work with the Forestry Commission to prevent accidental fires in the Dean.

This includes warning people of the danger of leaving barbecues or litter that could start a fire and the need to extinguish cigarettes safely so wildlife is not harmed.

Donna Potts, prevention manager for Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service, said “We have a tactical plan in place for wildfires and there is a group of officers trained as Wildfire Tactical Commanders. Our three Forest of Dean fire stations have the appropriate equipment, resources and training to tackle a wildfire should the need ever arise.”