A
demonstration is being held in Devon today, to show farmers the best
way of carrying out controlled burning of vegetation on Dartmoor.
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Want to know what swailing
is all about?
Simon Hall explains in
this short video:
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For generations
farmers in the area have deliberately burnt sections of the Moor to
create firebreaks to prevent big blazes later in the year.
Every year fires break out on Dartmoor. Some can be extensive. They
can put lives at risk and stretch fire service resources to their
limits, as well as causing considerable environmental damage.
Over the years, farmers have set up their own land management process
known as "swailing". They start small controlled fires now, to prevent
more damaging fires later in the year and encourage healthy growth
on the land.
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The
fire service will be hoping today's demonstration helps to
cut down on the number of fires during the summer
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Today the Dartmoor
Commoners Council is holding a demonstration of best practise, with
the fire service, and a number of other groups, including Dartmoor
National Park.
It's hoped that in the long run it will save the fireservice money
and prevent damaging fires in the future.
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