Firefighters have revealed they went six hours without drinking water as they fought a blaze raging through ‘Britain’s Beverly Hills’ in near-100F heat.
Surrey Fire and Rescue workers slammed bosses for ‘leaving them on their knees’ and ‘putting the public at risk’ as they battled a huge wildfire in Chobham Common.
One told how crews were overwhelmed by the rapidly spreading flames and ‘just couldn’t cope with the demand’.
They said servicemen went six hours without being given any drinking water, despite working in 97.5F (36.4C) heat on the hottest August day in 17 years.
The sources claimed ‘welfare is a dirty word in our brigade’ and their safety is ‘left way too late to be organised’.
Firefighters were called to battle the inferno on Friday at 11.30am as it ripped through 140 acres near the upmarket area dubbed Britain’s ‘Beverly Hills’.
Crews are expected to remain at the scene for ‘most of the week’ despite making ‘significant progress’ over the last three days.
Surrey Fire and Rescue was ‘obliterated’ and others were ‘on their knees’ as a blaze rampaged across Chobham Common since Friday
Crews were overwhelmed by the rapidly spreading flames and ‘just couldn’t cope with the demand’
The firefighter, who wished to remain anonymous, told MailOnline: ‘It’s been extremely challenging on many fronts.
‘It’s no secret that Surrey Fire and Rescue is suffering cuts and these cuts seem to be absolutely detrimental to the public right now.
‘It was extremely apparent on Friday when the incident started. We had West Sussex, London, Surrey. Surrey was completely obliterated. We then had Berkshire, Hampshire and control absolutely on their knees.
‘We had no incident command unit even though we have three in the county as we had no one to man it or crew it. That became extremely difficult.’
The source paints a terrifying picture of life on the frontline, where they claim crews on the ground are let down by those above them.
The fire continued to rage into Friday night and sent huge plumes of smoke into the sky that could be seen more than 20 miles away in west London and from tall buildings in central London
The huge wildfire is thought to have destroyed 150 acres of countryside and Surrey County Council said that a ‘large number of resources remain on the scene’, nearly 48 hours after the fire started
Firefighters from Surrey, West Sussex, Berkshire and Hampshire rescue services battled a huge wildfire in Surrey after more than 100 people were evacuated from 60 gated properties on Heather Drive on Friday due to plumes of smoke in the air (pictured on Saturday)
They continued: ‘When your middle managers come on, they should be thinking ”relief for crews” – food, water, relief.
‘Water came at 5.30pm and you’ve been at the fire ground since 11.30am. That’s six hours without water relief.
‘Just whatever they had on their pumps is what they had to get by on, which would have been a slab of water [16x 250ml bottles] for four or five people in those conditions, which they would have got through pretty quickly.’
They added: ‘We did not have any toilet facilities there until at least half six, six o’clock to half six.
‘And welfare was very much the last thing on their minds right then. It was definitely compromised.
‘There were opportunities for firefighters or middle managers that had come on to that job to go and get provisions as an interim measure at certain times.
‘And at certain times more senior officers had dismissed that idea and brushed it aside and made personal comments that were extremely telling of those characters.
‘They were trying to change at the time, but it fell on deaf ears. Senior officers basically fell short of providing the correct sustenance at the correct times for those crews who were absolutely on their knees.
‘To me, it’s becoming worse and worse and worse. And firefighters have every right to be challenging this right now, because the health and safety systems that this brigade [have] are becoming unapparent.’
The grand final of the Rose Ladies Series golf has been suspended after the huge fire encroached on Wentworth Golf Course in Surrey (pictured on Friday)
The source said Ginsters pasties and crisps were given to the servicemen at 6.30pm after a middle manager went to a nearby garage.
This was seven hours after officers started tackling the blaze and even longer after most of them had eaten before heading to work in the morning.
A spokeswoman for Surrey Fire and Rescue refuted the claims regarding welfare provision, adding: ‘We do not recognise these claims from this anonymous source.’
She said: ‘The welfare of our crews is of utmost priority and we have provided welfare provisions for staff including food, drinks and sun protection throughout this incident.
‘Our firefighters on the ground did a great job in tackling this unpredictable fire and keeping people and property safe.’
The fire broke out amid blistering temperatures and tore across Chobham Common, forcing 100 super-rich residents to flee their homes.
It raced towards the fringes of Wentworth Golf Course, which saw the Rose Ladies Series event cancelled.
Flames could even be seen more than 20 miles away in west London and from the towering buildings that litter the capital’s skyline.
Millionaires who live in the area were allowed back to their homes on Sunday but firefighters will remain close in the coming days.
The source said there is a feeling among his colleagues that if things do not changed then ‘someone is going to get seriously hurt’.
They said: ‘Not just the public, but fire crews with no welfare, no relief. Health and safety is going out the window and we’re having to wait to rely on neighbouring fire services that obviously can’t provide emergency crews for to go in with breathing apparatus.
‘It puts the crews under immense pressure. It’s becoming increasingly, you know, you’re having to make dynamic risk assessments around every corner.
The fire (pictured) started at around 12.25pm in Chobham Common before spreading to the nearby golf course
Ten fire engines have been sent in total, alongside multiple specialist vehicles, with the first arriving at the scene around 12.35pm
Chobham Road is closed between Titlarks Hill Road and the roundabout junction with Windsor Road and Chertsey Road
Brian May thanks emergency workers after ‘huge and treacherous wild furnace’ almost destroyed his home
Queen guitarist Brian May has revealed a ‘huge and treacherous wild furnace’ threatened to destroy his house as he rescued ‘precious things’ from inside.
The legendary rocker, 73, said the flames came within a mile of his multi-million pound mansion and recording studio in Sunningdale, Surrey, over the weekend.
He thanked firefighters for ‘saving our skins’ after the blaze ripped through 140 acres of Chobham Common, dubbed Britain’s ‘Beverly Hills’.
The legendary rocker (pictured with Save Me Trust CEO Anne Brummer), 73, said the flames came within a mile of his multi-million pound property and recording studio in Sunningdale, Surrey, over the weekend
May, who is married to ex-EastEnder Anita Dobson and has three children, posted pictures on Instagram of the scorched earth left behind by the vicious wildfire.
He wrote: ‘Firefight in Surrey. I never imagined it could happen here in leafy, and normally damp, Surrey, England.’
The musician said it was ‘shocking and traumatic’ to watch it happen in his own county after devastating fires in Australia and California in the last year.
He added: ‘These pictures show Anne Brummer and I this afternoon, surveying the forest fire which is still smouldering less than a mile from my own house and studio, and the fond relics of my entire life.’
‘Emergency fire control staff are just constantly having to beg, borrow and steal from other brigades.’
They added: ‘The public needs to know that they are not safe. We are not safe. I am a taxpayer in this county and I do not feel safe.
‘I wake up anxious and I have a gut feeling – I’m nervous. I’m nervous when I roll up to jobs because I’m waiting for my next fire engine.
‘It’s becoming ridiculous. If it’s not welfare, it’s cuts. If it’s not cuts, it/’s discipline. If it’s not discipline, it’s bullying.
‘We are absolutely sick to death of it. It’s putting our physical health in danger, but it’s also having a serious impact on our mental health.’
Authorities fear another week of blistering heat could allow the fire to take hold again, despite it largely being under control.
At the height of the blaze more than 40 vehicles including fire engines, specialist units and 4x4s were called into action.
Owners of sixty gated properties were evacuated from their homes on Friday after the huge wildfire swept across the area.
Despite the £2million properties not being under immediate threat, owners were asked to stay away due to plumes of smoke in the air.
They described the huge wildfire as ‘quite something’ and said Heather Drive was a ‘ghost town’.
But the rich residents were on Sunday spotted popping back to their million pound properties to collect essentials before heading to stay with friends and family.
FBU Surrey Brigade Secretary Graham Whitfield said: ‘Forcing firefighters into overworking in deadly temperatures because of a lack of because of a lack of staff, equipment and welfare provisions is completely unforgivable on the part of Surrey Fire and Rescue Service who continue to cut their service to the bone.
‘Tackling wildfires is incredibly arduous work and it was only thanks to the support of crews and engines from other regions that significant illness or injury was avoided.
‘We have repeatedly warned that cuts would leave Surrey exposed during major incidents like this.
‘Not only were we ignored, but Surrey Fire and Rescue Service has actively tried to prevent firefighters from speaking out.
‘Another three fire engines are due to be cut in October, which will leave Surrey firefighters even more short-staffed next time there’s a major incident like this. It’s a disaster waiting to happen.’
A spokesman for Surrey Fire and Rescue refuted the claims regarding welfare provision, adding: ‘We do not recognise these claims from this anonymous source.’
She said: ‘The welfare of our crews is of utmost priority and we have provided welfare provisions for staff including food, drinks and sun protection throughout this incident.
‘Our firefighters on the ground did a great job in tackling this unpredictable fire and keeping people and property safe.’
Surrey Fire and Rescue added it expects to remain on the scene of the Chobham Common fire for the rest of the week ‘in case the hot weather we are experiencing causes the fire to spread further again.’
The spokesman added: ‘The situation is however stable.’