NFRS 2024 08 - Wildfires
You asked for
I am writing to request data under the Freedom of Information Act regarding information on wildfires that occurred in July of 2022 in this FRS district.
Specifically, I am interested in obtaining the following information for the period of July 2022:
- Location (coordinates) and timing (date and time of day) of the wildfires.
- Fire size – ideally fire perimeters.
- Number of resources deployed.
- Fuel type burned (if available).
- Impact (e.g. buildings/houses affected, personal injuries, infrastructure, fireservice equipment, traffic delays, any evacuations, etc).
- If/when a major incident was declared.
I found data on point 1, 2 and 4 in the disclosure log (NFRS 2022 52 - Outdoor fires). I would appreciate any additional information that can be shared regarding the other points mentioned above.
Our Response
Answer: - Please refer to the table below Some of the information have been deemed exempt by virtue of Section 40(2) Personal Information of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
| Date / Time | fire_size (sq.m.) | Resources deployed | easting | northing | Area | Major inc. | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19/07/2022 20:00 | 2,001 - 5,000 sq.m | 12 | 458238 | 367729 | Ling Lane, Warsop | No Information Recorded | No Information Recorded |
| 13/07/2022 14:08 | 2 Hectares | 4 | 463026 | 351727 | Oxton CP, Newark and Sherwood | No Information Recorded | No Information Recorded |
| 11/07/2022 23:35 | 2,001 - 5,000 sq.m | 13 | 461205 | 363751 | Sherwood Pines | No Information Recorded | No Information Recorded |
| 15/07/2022 18:43 | 5,000 - 10,000 sq.m | 6 | 456837 | 360335 | Beighton Court, Mansfield | No Information Recorded | No Information Recorded |
| 19/07/2022 14:40 | 4 Hectares | 3 | [REDACTED S40(2)] | [REDACTED S40(2)] | Stokeham, Bassetlaw | No Information Recorded | No Information Recorded |
| 19/07/2022 13:43 | 2 Hectares | 4 | 485125 | 363593 | South Scarle CP, Newark and Sherwood | No Information Recorded | No Information Recorded |
| 19/07/2022 13:33 | 80 Hectares | 4 | 467097 | 345678 | Caythorpe, Newark and Sherwood | No | No Information Recorded |
| 18/07/2022 15:16 | 10 Hectares | 4 | [REDACTED S40(2)] | [REDACTED S40(2)] | Elton-on-the-Hill, Rushcliffe | No Information Recorded | No Information Recorded |
| 17/07/2022 16:04 | 2 Hectares | 3 | 455897 | 344615 | Top Valley, Bulwell | No Information Recorded | No Information Recorded |
| 16/07/2022 14:18 | 2 Hectares | 2 | 455745 | 344540 | Top Valley, Bulwell | No Information Recorded | No Information Recorded |
| 24/07/2022 18:23 | 10 Hectares | 7 | 456510 | 360232 | Oak Tree Lane, Mansfield, | No Information Recorded | No Information Recorded |
| 19/07/2022 13:33 | 20 Hectares | 63 | [REDACTED S40(2)] | [REDACTED S40(2)] | Blidworth CP, Newark and Sherwood | Yes - 19/07/2022 14:54:53 | No Information Recorded |
| 17/07/2022 16:33 | 2 Hectares | 11 | 456107 | 344763 | Bestwood Park Estate, Bulwell | Yes - 17/07/2022 16:50:49 | Spread to; Trees, Fences, Sheds, Garages, 2 Domestic dwellings. |
| 16/07/2022 15:30 | 4 Hectares | 3 | [REDACTED S40(2)] | [REDACTED S40(2)] | Treswell, Bassetlaw | No Information Recorded | No Information Recorded |
| 13/07/2022 15:47 | 15 Hectares | 3 | 483224 | 362418 | Collingham CP, Newark and Sherwood | No Information Recorded | No Information Recorded |
| 10/07/2022 14:10 | 2 Hectares | 4 | 459197 | 358748 | Rainworth CP, Newark and Sherwood | No Information Recorded | No Information Recorded |
Section 40: - Personal Information
(2) Any information to which a request for information relates is also exempt information if—
- it constitutes personal data which does not fall within subsection (1), and
- the first, second or third condition below is satisfied.
(3A) The first condition is that the disclosure of the information to a member of the public otherwise than under this Act—
- would contravene any of the data protection principles, or
- would do so if the exemptions in section 24(1) of the Data Protection Act 2018(manual unstructured data held by public authorities) were disregarded.
(3B) The second condition is that the disclosure of the information to a member of the public otherwise than under this Act would contravene Article 21 of the GDPR (general processing: right to object to processing).
(4A) The third condition is that—
- on a request under Article 15(1) of the GDPR (general processing: right of access by the data subject) for access to personal data, the information would be withheldin reliance on provision made by or under section 15, 16 or 26 of, or Schedule 2,3 or 4 to, the Data Protection Act 2018, or
- (b) on a request under section 45(1)(b) of that Act (law enforcement processing:right of access by the data subject), the information would be withheld in relianceon subsection (4) of that section.
Section 40 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 is categorised as an Absolute and Class Based type exemption and therefore does not require a public interest test to be carried nor must Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service articulate the harm in disclosure.
For the sake of clarity, some of the easting and northing data records pings directly to a private dwelling rather than the exact location of the wildfires which has been deemed exempt as personal information. This does not apply to where it pings relating to a business premise.