MORE than 2,300 fire engines have been despatched in Dorset over the last five years to attend emergency calls that turned out to be bonfires or land clearance.

Figures obtained by the Echo under the Freedom of Information Act show that crews in Dorset attended 1,980 controlled burns between 2011 and 2015, sending out 2,309 engines in total.

It is estimated that the cost to the fire service of these callouts could have been more than a quarter of a million pounds over the five year period.

The approximate cost per engine is £125, based on a crew of five firefighters attending an incident for an hour with a 10-mile round trip.

Residents are asked to inform the brigade in advance if they are planning a controlled burn in order to avoid crews being despatched to the scene unnecessarily.

A Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said that attending controlled burns can be “a drain on our resources”.

The spokesman added: “We use media, social media and our website to encourage people planning large bonfires or land clearance to inform us in advance.

“This information means that our control operators can identify potential controlled burns when 999 calls are made, which in turn allows them to ask informed questions of the caller to determine whether an attendance is required.

“Whilst we don’t want to attend controlled burns unnecessarily, we equally would not want to discourage people from reporting fires when they see them – especially during the summer when heath fires are such a high risk.”

Cllr Francis Drake, community safety spokesman for Weymouth and Portland Borough Council, said: “The cost to the service is ridiculous and it would be nice, if people are going to have a bonfire, that they inform the fire authority of what they are going to do.

“What you have got to remember is that these fire engines could be needed for a proper emergency.“We do not want to waste resources, especially in this day and age when money is tight.”

Cllr Ronald Coatsworth, member of the Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Authority, said: “I do not know what you can do other than educate people.”

You can inform Fire Control of a planned controlled burning by contacting 0306 799 0019 or completing the online form at dwfire.org.uk.

They will ask for the precise location of the fire, its planned duration and a contact telephone number for the person who will be responsible for it.