Dog Walker's Report of Unattended Fire Near Seal Chart Renews Wildfire Warning

A local resident who regularly walks her dogs in woodland near Seal Chart, Sevenoaks, says she came across a tent and a fire that was still producing smoke on Tuesday 22 September. Concerned it hadn't been properly put out, she called Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS), who attended the scene.

According to her account, crews told her the fire did pose a genuine risk and could have spread further if left. We're not naming the resident or identifying exactly where the tent was.

Seal Chart Common is a popular spot for local walkers, part of a stretch of woodland east of Sevenoaks. Unattended or badly-controlled outdoor fires are a recognised risk in dry conditions - in July, KFRS said it had already attended more than 130 accidental grass fires since the start of that month alone, and urged the public to take extra care with anything that could start a fire outdoors, from barbecues to cigarettes.

Anyone with information about an unattended fire is asked to contact Kent Fire and Rescue Service, and anyone planning to light a fire outdoors is reminded to make sure it's fully extinguished - doused with water and cold to the touch, not just no longer visibly burning - before leaving it. Source: Kent Fire and Rescue Service