It can't happen here can it? It nearly did! JULY 28th 2022
In July 2022 there were three fires on Hankley Common in two weeks. The third fire on July 28th travelled 1.6km from the southern end of the Drop Zone to the edge of the gardens in Hookley Lane in about 12 hours, driven by a 30 mph wind. If it had not been stopped there another 12 hours overnight could have taken it across Tad Moor and through the woods into Elstead on the Thursley Road at Pot Common.
There is a report on the Hankley fires on the Elstead Online News website.
On May 31st 2020 a similar fire raged on Thursley Common for two days driven by an easterly wind. A southerly wind would have taken it directly towards Elstead.
The fire that destroyed 18 homes in Wennington occurred on July 19th, just 9 days before the third Hankley fire.
Perhaps wet weather is not such a bad idea after all!