Cornwall Fire & Rescue Service Newsdesk

at 21/04/2010 10:15

Crews and appliances from Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service have been called to an unprecedented number of gorse and heath fires in the last three months. During February and up to 19 April, there have been 88 reported incidents all across Cornwall with 58 (66%) believed to have been started deliberately.

Arson is a criminal offence and anyone with information on fires being deliberately started in the countryside are urged to anonymously call Crimestoppers free on 0800 555 111 or contact Devon and Cornwall Police on 08452 777 444 with information.

CFRS prevention manager Sacha Wheatman says: “Arson puts both the public and firefighters at unnecessary risk. It ties up resources that could be in demand for other more serious incidents. While we area dealing with a gorse fire we might be delayed in dealing with a house fire, road traffic collision extrication or as a co-responder incident.”

Not all gorse and heathland fires are the work of arsonists. Some are as a result of so called ‘controlled’ burning which has got out of hand and spread, sometimes because of a lack of firefighting measures in put in place in advance to deal with the situation.

With controlled burns, it is illegal to leave a fire unattended or to have too few people to control it. Always ensure a fire is completely out before you leave it and check next day to ensure it has not reignited.

If you are planning a large bonfire in Cornwall, inform the Fire and Rescue Service before you start by dialling 0800 3581 999

Tell the Fire Control Operator:

· Your location.

· Time you intend to start burning.

· Confirm when you have finished burning.

This helps Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service avoid sending fire appliances to false alarms when they could be responding to a real emergency.Sasha Wheatman explains that there are added challenges in dealing with gorse and heathland fires: “By definition such incidents occur in rural locations where there is uneven ground and often rabbit, badger and fox holes which contribute to slips and falls. There is often the additional hazard of having to tackle such fires at night.”

Fires in the countryside can easily be started accidentally. A carelessly discarded cigarette can lead to a huge fire and with many areas in Cornwall being recognised as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) the results to the wildlife and plant life can be devastating.

Follow this simple advice to guard against accidental fires in the countryside:-

· Do not discard cigarettes in the countryside.

· Do not leave glass items around after a picnic or barbecue.
Put them in the bin.

· Only light fires or barbecues in designated areas using the facilities provided.

· Fires must be built at least 10m downwind from vegetation, tents and caravans.

· Clear a patch of bare earth to build the fire on.

· Ensure the fire collapses inwards when it burns.

· Do not leave it unattended.

· Never use petrol or paraffin on a fire.

· Do not put batteries, aerosols or other gas cylinders on the fire.

· If you see a fire in the countryside, report it immediately.

· Don't attempt to tackle fires that can't be put out with a bucket of water – leave the area as quickly as possible.

Details of recent incidents attended can be found using the related link below:

Related item: http://db.cornwall.gov.uk/fbnews/info/news.asp