Gwent Police Joins All Wales Fight Against Grass Fires

Today the emergency services and their partners launch this year’s all Wales multi-agency campaign to combat grass and mountain fires. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Minister for Public Services Leighton Andrews AM joined the three Welsh Fire and Rescue Services, Police and their partners at Hirwaun community Fire and Rescue Station, Rhondda Cynon Taff to show his support for the initiative. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Gwent Police Chief Inspector Nick McLain said: “Setting deliberate grass fires is an extremely reckless and dangerous activity, the consequences of which can be far-reaching for the environment, wildlife and local communities. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Grass fires divert essential emergency services away from those who are vulnerable and in need, and a partnership approach is the only way to tackle offenders. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“I would appeal to residents to keep an eye out for any suspicious activity in their neighbourhood and to report any concerns to police. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Setting grass fires is a criminal offence and anyone found to be doing so will be dealt with robustly.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Chief Fire Officer, South Wales Fire and Rescue Service Huw Jakeway said: “This year, as with previous years, we refuse to tolerate the deliberate grass and mountain fires that lead to the destruction of the mountainside and wildlife across Wales, which can put lives at risk. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“By working with our partners on this hard hitting multi-agency campaign we are determined to make a change and make deliberate fire setting completely unacceptable to everyone in our communities – grass fires have consequences so they have to stop!” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Public Services Minister, Leighton Andrews said: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Deliberately setting grass fires is stupid, dangerous and illegal. Firefighters have to put their lives at risk to tackle this menace, and to minimise the damage to the environment and the fear that grass fires create in local communities. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We are all working as hard as we can to prevent grass fires, and the campaign we are launching today is a vital part of that. But we also need to be sure that our firefighters can deal with grass fires swiftly, safely and effectively. That is why I am very pleased to be able to fund the off-road vehicles and protective equipment that will enable them to do so.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​