Fire chiefs have once again warned of the dangers of deliberate grass fires as the season for them begins.
South Wales Fire and Rescue Service said it had been called to 36 grass fires over a 24-hour period during the weekend of March 25 and March 26 and said it believed that most were started deliberately.
In Caerphilly County Borough, firefighters have already been called to three blazes on Rudry Common.
The most recent was on Monday, March 27. A crew from Caerphilly was called at around 1.35pm and used beaters and hoses to put the fire out in just under two hours.
An area covering two hectares was destroyed.
Rudry Common was also visited on Saturday March 25, at 8.30pm by crews from Duffryn, Aberbargoed, Whitchurch and Caerphilly, who took three hours to put out another fire there. Approximately ten hectares had been ablaze.
The mountain in Wattsville was also set alight on Saturday, March 25. Crews from Caerphilly, Abercarn, Cwmbran and Aberdare were called at around 2.30pm and took three hours to extinguish the fire.
Around 25 hectres was damaged.
Fire bosses have previously said each call-out costs around an average of £2,000 – a huge waste of public resources.
Deputy Chief Fire Officer Mick Crennell, Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service and Chair of the All Wales Strategic Arson Reduction Board, said: “Arson and deliberate fires can put the lives of emergency services personnel and members of communities at risk. It is a crime that can carry heavy fines or even a prison sentence.
“Emergency services have to spend valuable time responding to deliberate fires which can leave other areas more vulnerable. We cannot be in two places at once.
“Over the last decade, we have had considerable success in reducing the incidence and impact of deliberate fire setting within our communities.
“However, I believe that there is more we can achieve. I recognise the importance of working closely with our partners and our past success is a direct result of the hard work, innovation and drive of our Strategic Arson Reduction Board and the dedicated practitioners from all the agencies who have been out there delivering initiatives within our communities.”
He added: “By working with our partner agencies and our communities, our aim is to encourage a cultural shift across Wales so that arson is seen as socially unacceptable by all.
“We will take action to support this positive and lasting cultural change to create a Wales that we all want to live in, work in and to visit now and in the future.”
Each year, Caerphilly County Borough Council, Gwent Police, and South Wales Fire and Rescue Service together run the Project Bernie initiative aimed at educating youngsters of the impact of deliberate grass fires have.
The project is due to launch this year on April 7.
Project Bernie doesn’t stop the grass fires though does it !
We need to catch the culprits and put them before the courts.
I would like to know many arsonists have actually been caught and what sentences have been imposed ?
Totally agree John. The problem is catching the role model citizens who start these fires. Personally I am not convinced its children who start these fires. This is because how many children would actually make the effort to go to these remote places in the first place, unless taken there. I think its adults starting these fires. But having said that If it is children starting the fires then, if caught, and that’s the big problem, the parents should be made to cover the costs of the fire service. Maybe then and when parents have to pay a couple of thousand pound costs they would actually take responsibility for their children, instead of wanting everyone else to.
It would be interesting to know how many people have been put through the courts for these offences. Does anyone know?
Yes Paul,I think you are right regarding your comment concerning its adults in the main,rather than children that start these deliberate grass fires.
I’m sure I’ve read somewhere that research supports that fact.
Is there anyone out there in South Wales Fire & Rescue Service or the Criminal Justice System who can provide figures as to how many people have been caught and put through the courts ? ( And if possible what age groups ? ).