This information has been provided to the Parish Council on 29 July 2026
“We have an internal Fire Risk Assessment and Wildfire Response Plan in place for the land we manage directly. Both documents are reviewed annually to ensure they remain current and effective.
In addition, we are working with Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service to develop detailed mapping of access points, water sources and other resources which can be available to them in the event of a wildfire on our land.
In December 2025, we also took part in a wildfire emergency exercise with the Local Resilience Forum (a multi-agency partnership that coordinates planning, preparation, and response to emergencies within a specific geographic area) to test and improve all parties’ response arrangements.
Our wildfire risk status and how we determine it:
Our local wildfire risk assessment is based on the Met Office Fire Severity Index (FSI), which we use to inform decisions about operational changes and additional precautions. You can find more information about the FSI here, and the current risk level is published daily on Natural England’s fire severity map, available here.
We declare a High Fire Risk status when the Fire Severity Index reaches Very High (Index 4) for at least five consecutive days. If this occurs between 1 July and 30 September, High Fire Risk status remains in place until the end of September. At other times of the year, the High Fire Risk status ends once the Fire Severity Index has remained below 4 for five consecutive days.
We declare an Extreme Fire Risk status when the Fire Severity Index reaches Exceptional (Index 5) for one day or longer. This may occur during an existing High Fire Risk period. Extreme Fire Risk status ends as soon as the Fire Severity Index falls back to 4 or below.
How We Communicate Fire Risk:
The clearest indication of our current fire risk status is through the warning signs displayed on the visitor welcome and orientation boards and maps across the estate.
When High Fire Risk status is activated, our standard “No Fires or BBQs” signs are replaced with prominent red warning signs (photos of both types of signage below). If we move to Extreme Fire Risk status, additional warning signage will be installed at the entrance to Monument Drive. We also use our social media channels to communicate periods of increased fire risk to warn visitors in advance of their visit.
Activities on the Estate:
During both High and Extreme Fire Risk periods, the fire risk associated with any activity must be carefully assessed before work is undertaken by staff, volunteers or contractors.
Fires and BBQs are prohibited on the estate throughout the year. During hot and dry weather, we would ask everyone to be particularly vigilant and to report any fires, BBQs or other activities that could pose a fire risk on our land.
Finally, we are currently preparing guidance for our tenant farmers and neighbouring landowners on practical considerations which can help reduce wildfire risk across the wider landscape. We would be very happy to share this document with you once it is complete.