JULY has become the busiest month for emergency calls received by Devon’s fire service in the past ten years, with firefighters, including from Teignbridge, responding to a record number of incidents as hot, dry weather grips the region.

With a couple of days of the month still remaining, Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service has already handled more than 5,300 emergency calls – more than 500 above its previous busiest month on record.

Firefighters have attended 756 fires so far this month, averaging 28 incidents every day compared with the usual daily average of 12.

Of those, 473 have been outdoor fires, meaning almost two-thirds of all incidents attended during July have involved open spaces.

The service has also experienced ten of its busiest days on record for emergency calls in the past 20 days alone, placing sustained pressure on firefighters and control room staff working around the clock to protect communities.

Residents are being urged to call 999 only in a genuine emergency, warning that unnecessary calls can delay responses to life-threatening incidents.

People are also being asked to take extra care outdoors, with the current hot and dry conditions significantly increasing the risk of wildfires.

The fire service is advising against lighting fires in the open, including disposable barbecues, and instead encouraging people to enjoy picnics while following local restrictions.

Teignbridge fire crews have been among those responding to the spike in incidents throughout July.

Crews helped tackle a large fire on a cliff face near Oddicombe Beach in Torquay after the blaze, believed to have been started deliberately, broke out on the evening of July 24.

Firefighters from Newton Abbot also dealt with a hedge fire in Milber on July 22 after flames spread into four gardens

On July 21, crews tackled a major blaze at Paignton Railway Station.