Concerns have been focussed after fires in Chilbolton on Sunday, August 2, and in Shootash on Monday, August 3. The fires have prompted warnings from public officials, with Caroline Nokes, MP for Romsey and Southampton North, saying that "tinder dry" conditions combined with the warm weather "is a real worry". Older readers will remember the similar summer of 1976 when August saw scores of fires blazing across the county. "Approximately 50 hectares of field have been destroyed, with the fire spreading close to a nearby fuel storage facility. "It is vital that people take extra care when visiting our green spaces, as fires in these areas can cause significant damage.