Increase in deliberate grass fires

A combination of anti-social behaviour, householders burning rubbish and farmers and landowners burning grassland outside the permitted dates are being blamed for the problems.

The situation has not improved despite the launch of Operation Dawns Glaw a multi-agency campaign urging the public to act responsibly.

Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service head of prevention and protection Mydrian Harries said: “It has become very clear to the task force over the last few weeks that there is a very small minority of children, young people and adults determined to set fire to land within our communities, placing everyone at risk.

"Our emergency services have worked extremely hard to both respond and put out these fires as quickly as possible under the current lockdown situation. This is a wholly unnecessary use of our emergency services during this difficult time.”

The service said the public may assume deliberate fires are all caused by children and young people, but have been caused by adults.

A number of fires have also happened on farmland, destroying habitats for ground nesting birds and other wildlife.

Mr Harries added: “It is unacceptable for a small minority of landowners and land managers to continue starting grass fires deliberately outside the legal dates and against all the advice they are provided.

"The work of the task force includes recording all locations where these deliberate grass fires occur and reporting them to the Welsh government and the police.”

Farmers are being reminded that burn date deadline was March 31 and breaches may result in payments including Basic Payment Scheme or Rural Development land-based schemes being reduced, recovered or withheld.