FIGURES show that firefighters in Dorset are attending fires faster than the previous year.

Data from the Home Office shows that the average response time for Dorset and Wiltshire Fire Service was 10 minutes and 35 seconds for primary fires in the year to March.

Primary fires are classed as more serious fires that could cause harm to people or damage to property.

In 2023, the response time was 10 minutes and 46 seconds.

The Fire Brigades Union acts as the voice for firefighters across the service in the UK.

Matt Wrack, Fire Brigades Union general secretary said: "While we face the flooding, wildfires and extreme weather of the climate emergency, we have lost one in five firefighters to cuts.

"Fewer resources mean that fire engines take far longer to arrive at a fire than in the 1990s, and fire services' capacity varies wildly by region. Last year's response times, the slowest in recent records, should have been a wake-up call.

"The Government must deliver on promises to end the fire cover postcode lottery through a statutory advisory body, and provide the urgent investment needed to protect homes and lives."

There was also a slight decrease in the number of incidents attended by DWFRS.

In the year to March there were 14,929 incidents attended by firefighters in Dorset and Wiltshire which was down from 14,993 the year before.

4,930 of these incidents were non-fire related, such as traffic collisions, medical emergencies or flooding-related callouts.

The figures also revealed that there were fewer fatalities for the Dorset fire service.

In 2023, there were six, this year there were four fatalities.

A Home Office spokesperson said: "Throughout the country, our firefighters operate in challenging and high-risk environments, constantly going above and beyond the call of duty to protect our communities.

"Our fire and rescue services are receiving around £2.9 billion in this financial year, and we will continue to work closely with stakeholders across the sector to ensure all services have the resources they need to protect communities at the highest standard."