Firefighters in South Yorkshire unveil latest weapon to combat wildfires

The two new Polaris vehicles have been unveiled by South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue, which says they will help crews respond more quickly to incidents which are harder to reach using a traditional fire engine.

The vehicles, which will be based at Thorne fire station in Doncaster and Rivelin fire station in Sheffield will be fitted with water pumps to help firefighters combat large fires on moors or grassland.

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Fire crews will spend the next few months training with them before they are made available to attend incidents across the region.

Station Manager Mike Anthony, said: “We’re always committed to giving frontline firefighters the best possible kit to help them do their jobs effectively.

"We believe these vehicles will become incredibly versatile additions to our fleet, enhancing our ability to deal with challenging incidents on tough terrain, as well as a wide variety of other incident types.”

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The new vehicles were unveiled just days after flames tore through a precious nature reserve at Greno Woods in Sheffield.

Last year, firefighters spent weeks tackling a fire on peat moorland in Thorne and Hatfield, which was home to several rare and endangered species.

The fire service is also proving additional welfare support and extra training for crews to help them respond to wildfires.

It has reminded people to never have barbecues in open countryside or parkland, always dispose of cigarettes carefully and take their rubbish with them to prevent fires starting.