Grass fire arson crackdown begins

Emergency services fear someone will be killed by a grass fire arson

A fire service targeting people who light grass and gorse fires has been dealing with a 20-acre (eight hectare) blaze on a mountainside.

South Wales Fire and Rescue Service's Operation Phoenix aims to drive down the number of blazes over Easter.

Police and fire crews are to use off-road vehicles to patrol problem areas in the south Wales valleys.

Meanwhile, three crews have dealt with blazing bracken on Deri mountain, near Abergavenny, Monmouthshire.

The fire service said it had also received "numerous" calls to smaller mountain fires in the Abercynon area, but they most of them had been put out.

Across Wales, Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service said it had 14 fire crews out on Sunday at various gorse and mountain fires at Pontardawe, Morriston, Clyne Common in Swansea and New Quay, Ceredigion.

Grass and mountain fires divert crews from road crashes and house fires

North Wales Fire and Rescue Service said a 40-acre (15 hectare) gorse blaze near Penrhyndeudraeth, Gwynedd, had been the largest of the fires tackled by crews.

The call-outs came as South Wales Fire and Rescue Service launched its initiative in the Cwmbran and Cefn Fforest areas to highlight the risks of deliberately-set fires.

Emergency coordinators say the south Wales valleys suffer the highest number of grass fires in the UK.

Over the coming months, the fire service and the Forestry Commission will have crews patrolling in all-terrain vehicles, while South Wales Police officers will be using off-road motorbikes.

'Unpredictable'

The Rhondda Cynon Taf area was one of the worst hit in 2007, with more than half the total number of deliberately-set grass and mountain fires in south Wales.

South Wales Fire Service was called out to 2,707 grass fires between the start of April until 28 July in 2007.

Knill Baird-Murray, station manager at Cefn Fforest, said: "Someone is going to lose their lives and that might even be one of our own firefighters.

"People just don't seem to grasp how serious the issue of grass fires is.

"Grass and mountain fires are unpredictable and can spiral out of control within minutes.

"Every time our firefighters are called out to a grass or mountain fire, not only does it cost the taxpayer thousands of pounds, but it also means that firefighters could be diverted from attending a real emergency - someone trapped in a house fire or a crashed car.

'Wildlife'

"That's not to mention the complete destruction of the environment and the deterrent to inward investment in this beautiful part of the world.

Sgt Neil O'Connell, of the South Wales Arson Reduction Team, said: "These people [arsonists] are endangering their own lives as well as the lives and property of others in the community.

"Deliberate fire setters could be subject to prosecution under various laws including the destruction of the environment and wildlife, the disturbance of protected species and damage to property."

Anyone with information about people involved in lighting fires are asked to contact their local police station or Crimestoppers (0800 555 111).