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This gets complicated, quickly, but I hope that this summary will provide a starting point for those who are interested in the control of bracken. There is much more information on the bracken control website . In response to an application for an Emergency Authorisation to allow Asulam to be used for bracken control in 2020, a draft approval was issued by Chemicals Regulation Division (CRD) of HSE, in November 2019. However, this contains restrictions that would prevent Asulam being applied from ground-based equipment, and for aerial spraying, increase the buffer zone against surface water bodies from 50m to 90m. The Bracken Control Group is unhappy with both these proposals. In addition, a list of information required to support future applications was introduced that will be very difficult to achieve. A discussion, hosted by Defra, took place with CRD and Natural England in February. It was agreed that the Bracken Control Group should prepare an additional application to set ou...

This is a statement that has been issued by the England & Wales Wildfire Forum, this afternoon. This is in response to a continuing elevated wildfire risk, many reports of wildfire incidents and follows a conference call with wildfire stakeholders hosted by Defra, last Friday COVID-19 Wildfire Risk Help the emergency services: avoid starting wildfires. When the weather is dry and warm the risk of wildfire increases and it only takes a moment of carelessness to start a fire. Now, more than ever, we all need to play our part and make sure we do not add to the strain on our emergency services. Fires that take place in remote, rural areas, make the news but vegetation fires in towns and cities, and on the edge of urban areas, are common and pose a real threat to life and property. In the countryside, during the current COVID-19 restrictions, there are fewer people on hand to spot fires and to tackle them. The clear message from government remains for everyone to s...