25/08/2026
A worrying incident at Horsham Skate Park last week is a reminder of just how dangerous some of the trends circulating on social media can be.
On Wednesday, firefighters from Horsham Fire Station were called after refuse, wood and aerosol cans had been deliberately set alight at the skate park. Thankfully, the fire was small and crews were able to extinguish it quickly but with the exceptionally dry conditions we have experienced this summer, the consequences could have been far more serious.
Setting fire to aerosol cans is particularly dangerous. They can explode without warning when heated, causing serious injury and potentially spreading fire rapidly into nearby vegetation.
As both a local County Councillor and Chair of the West Sussex Fire & Rescue Scrutiny Committee, I am very conscious of the pressure our firefighters have been under during this prolonged period of hot and dry weather.
Since the beginning of June, West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service has attended 123 deliberately started fires - a 38% increase on the same period last year. Fire and rescue services nationally are also experiencing their busiest year on record for wildfires.
That makes incidents such as this even more frustrating. At a time when our crews are already responding to an increased wildfire risk, deliberately starting fires puts unnecessary pressure on the Service and, more importantly, risks lives, property and our local environment.
I would encourage parents and carers to speak to young people about the dangers of copying trends they may see online. Something that might appear harmless or amusing on social media can very quickly become something much more serious.
We can all also help reduce the risk of fires during this exceptionally dry period by disposing of ci******es properly, keeping barbecues well away from vegetation, taking litter home and ensuring glass bottles and other reflective objects are not left where they could start a fire.
Our firefighters have been working incredibly hard throughout this summer. Please help them by taking fire safety seriously and encouraging others to do the same.
