An amber wildfire alert has been issued for the Dorset area as temperatures rise.

The alert means that should a wildfire happen; it could spread quickly and easily due to the conditions.

The risk is greatest on large areas of open land, such as heathlands, fields and even cliffsides.

Graham Kewley, group manager of the fire service, said: “While the warmer weather is welcome after such a wet start to the year, it does mean that foliage will now be dry, and this can result in a greater risk of fires spreading if something happens to cause ignition.

“We would urge anyone going out and about in our beautiful countryside this weekend to take extra care, follow our advice to #BringAPicnicNotABarbecue, and avoid having campfires on heathland or in woodlands.”

Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue service has issued advice for staying fire safe while out and about.

•            Extinguish smoking materials properly, and don’t throw cigarette ends on the ground or out of car windows.

•            If you see a fire in the countryside, report it immediately to the fire service to prevent it from developing into a large wildfire incident.

•            When calling the Fire & Rescue Service, get to a safe place, note the fire’s location (apps such as What3Words can help if you’re not sure), call 999, and meet firefighters at the access point if you can.

•            Don’t attempt to tackle fires that can’t be put out with a bucket of water – leave the area as quickly as possible and call 999.