Dorset | Posted on February 12th, 2026 | return to news

Consultation on Dorset and Wiltshire fire station closures

Cranborne and Hamworthy are amongst eight stations across Dorset & Wiltshire which could be closed by the fire and rescue authority.

Fire stations in Cranborne and Hamworthy are amongst four stations in Dorset scheduled for closure, in addition to four in Wiltshire.

However, Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Authority (DWFRS) has now agreed that public consultation can take place.

The other on-call stations at risk are Charmouth and Maiden Newton, in addition to Bradford on Avon, Mere, Ramsbury and Wilton.

A fire cover review has been underway for the past three years, looking at information and data about all 50 of the fire stations within DWFRS. The analysis, which identified the eight stations proposed for closure, used data from 2019–2024 to consider: how busy the station is; how quickly and how often the station is able to respond to incidents; the financial impact of closing the fire station; how other fire engines nearby could respond to incidents; existing and possible future risk in the local communities; and how the Service meets the changing needs of its communities.

Chief Fire Officer Andy Cole said: “No-one wants to close fire stations. As with many public sector organisations, we continue to face significant financial challenges. This is despite our attempts to lobby government for better funding and saving over £15 million from our revenue budget since we combined in 2016.

“This financial pressure reflects a long-term reduction in central government funding for fire and rescue services, combined with rising costs that sit largely outside our control, such as the addition of National Insurance and pay award costs, as well as a below-national-average council tax contribution. As such, we must find ways to address the forecast deficits and ensure we are sustainable in the future. We’ve looked very carefully at all the facts to make sure we’re doing the right thing with the money and people we have. I truly believe these proposals will help better resource the Service and save money, whilst still achieving the level of support our communities expect of us.

“We understand that people care about what this means for their town or village. That is why, before the Fire & Rescue Authority makes any decisions, we want people to tell us what they think and if there’s anything important that we might have missed. The Authority has not yet decided on these proposals, and all feedback received will help them to determine what is best for Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service.”

In response to the consultation, around 80 firefighters gathered in Salisbury on Tuesday 10 February to demonstrate their opposition to the station closures. A representative from the Dorset and Wiltshire branch of the Fire Brigades Union said it was “disappointed” with the outcome.

The consultation will be open from Friday 13 February, until Friday 15 May 2026. All of the details, including station-specific data, FAQs and a questionnaire, will be available at www.dwfire.org.uk from 13 February.

During March and April, there will be public meetings in each affected community, together with online dial-in sessions for each location. Details of these can also be found on the DWFRS website from 13 February.

An independent consultation company is supporting this process and will produce a report of all the responses. The Authority will make the final decision on any station closures at a meeting on Tuesday 30 June 2026.