Residents Report Strong Smell of Smoke Over Salisbury

Friday, 14 August 2026 09:36

Residents in and around Salisbury are reporting a strong smell of smoke this morning (14th August).

Although there are no reported fires in Salisbury, there have been many in the surrounding area, with smoke carried by the wind across the region.

There have been or are fires in Westbury, Blandford, Salisbury Plain and the New Forest, and a warehouse fire in Andover.

Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service has declared a major incident due to the high number of incidents, the red wildfire alert, drought conditions, and extreme heat affecting the service area.

The fire service says it's working hard to respond to emergency calls as quickly as possible and reassured the public that if you dial 999 for the fire service, you will get help.

In a statement, they said, "We are asking the public to take extra precautions during this period and would encourage you all to consider these measures too. We’re encouraging the public to:

• Extinguish cigarettes properly; don’t throw cigarette ends on the ground or out of car windows – take your litter home.
• Please avoid having BBQs on the heath or in open spaces.
• Do not have bonfires or fires in the open
• If you see a fire in the countryside, report it immediately to the Fire & Rescue Service. Early detection can prevent it from developing into a large wildfire incident.

If you see a fire:

• Get to a safe place,
• Note the fire location,
• Call 999,
• Meet the Fire and Rescue Service at the entrance.
• Don’t attempt to tackle fires that can’t be put out with a bucket of water – leave the area as quickly as possible.

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