THE LICKEY Hills Society claims little has been done to protect the country park from another large scale catastrophic fire, a year after the devastating blaze.
Baden Carlson, the society’s secretary, spoke to the Standard on the first anniversary of the tragedy.
The fire, thought to have been caused by a disposable barbecue, affected five to seven hectares (12 to 17 acres) of heathland and damaged 80 trees which were later felled.
Much of the formerly restored heathland, scarce in the region, was destroyed along with wildlife, including many common lizards and other animal species.
Mr Carlson praised the dedicated Lickey Hills Rangers who have been working tirelessly on Rednal Hill with society members, the public and volunteer groups.
Work has included clearing broken glass and other litter, spreading seed-bearing heather clippings to encourage re-growth and removing quick-growing bracken which smothers other plants before they have chance to grow.
He added: “These wildfires can also cause damage that will take the environment a long time to recover from.
“We have seen some positive regrowth but these things take years.
“The rangers are conscious of the damage and are industrious in their efforts to help locals and the wildlife.”
Plan needs to be put in place
Mr Carlson said he thought, after raising issues with officials in emails and meetings, Birmingham City Council’s Park’s Department would have produced a comprehensive wildfire policy outlining necessary actions to prevent fires and to protect people, property and the environment
He said councillors had been supportive but added that, although the head of Birmingham City Council’s Environment Department said he was willing to meet the society for discussions, nothing had really happened.
Mr Carlson said: “The society would be happy to meet with them, but what we really want is policy action now, during high summer, where following the hottest June on record, we are still ill prepared for a major wildfire.”
Not long after the fire, the track leading up to Rednal Hill was widened to allow easier access for fire engines, and trees were felled to create fire breaks around the area affected.
Safety fears
The society claims many properties around Rednal Hill and inside the country park remained unprotected, including a residential care home and a private hospital which could be impacted by future fires.
Mr Carlson said: “We are concerned for the safety of nearby residents, especially the elderly and vulnerable, who could be in danger if another fire like this occurs.”
Birmingham City Council has been approached for comment. We are awaiting a response.
