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Campers asked to leave Dartmoor

They lit barbecue (and shouldn't have been camping)

Rangers on Dartmoor have decided it's now time to get tough on people who light barbecues on the National Park, despite a ban to reduce the risk of wildfires.

With the county under an amber health alert because of the high temperatures, fires and barbecues on Dartmoor was prohibited last week.

Signs have appeared around the area.

But this week, a number of people camping on the moor were told to leave after breaching the regulations.

Camping itself is currently not allowed. Lighting fires makes it worse.

Ranger Rob Steemson of the Dartmoor National Park Authority says the park is for everyone to enjoy "but what we don't want to see is a big black scar on the landscape and damage to the ecology and the wildlife.

Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue says wildfires in the two counties were up 18 per cent last month on the usual July average. They were called to more than 300 such incidents.

Compiled from a video report from BBC Spotlight

 

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