Warning After Suspected Deliberate Grass Fire Injures Four and Causes Significant Damage

Parents and guardians are being urged to keep a closer eye on their children after a what is believed to be a deliberate grassfire spread dangerously close to a neighbouring housing estate in the Rhondda.

Emergency Services were called at approximately 4.30pm on Sunday (29 March, 2020) following reports that a group of youths were seen starting and then running away from a fire on wasteland on Trebanog Hill.

The fire quickly spread to cover approximately 12 hectares of land and damaged residential properties, but firefighters – who tackled the blaze for a number of hours – managed to prevent more serious damage.

Two people suffered minor burns and a number of people suffered from smoke inhalation.

Local people who gathered at the scene put themselves at an increased risk, not only from the fire itself, but of contracting Coronavirus from one another.

Communities are urged to report any suspicious activity to police and whenever possible, to pass on full descriptions of those responsible including clothing and direction of travel.

Coordinated patrols are now being carried out by police across the region to deter criminal activity and trace those responsible.

As well as causing damage to property and wildlife, the swathes of thick smoke from fires can increase the risk to the elderly and vulnerable people with medical conditions.

Healthcare professionals have highlighted the dangers of smoke caused by grass fires to COVID-19 sufferers who may be living nearby.

South Wales Police Inspector Mike Rudall from the Community Safety Partnership, said:

“The abilities of the emergency services to carry out their vital roles during these challenging times can be seriously impaired by the reckless and inconsiderate actions of the few  I am requesting support from parents and guardians who should know exactly where their children are and what they are doing, especially during a time when everybody’s movement has been severely restricted.

“We will investigate reports of deliberate fire setting – anybody who is found to be responsible faces the prospect of being prosecuted. I’d urge children and parents to be mindful of how a criminal record can impact on somebody’s future.  Ultimately, their actions could cause a loss of life, serious injury and significant damage to land, property and wildlife.”

South Wales Fire and rescue Service has confirmed that its officers have been called to deal with over 100 fires since schools closed as part of government measures to tackle the Coronavirus outbreak.

South Wales Fire and Rescue Service Head of Risk Reduction Area Manager Jason Evans, said:

“These fires put the lives of firefighters and other emergency service workers in danger and pose a serious risk to the community. This week our crews have attended many grass fires across south Wales which we believe have been started deliberately. Some of the fires have been incredibly demanding, and tackling them has required lots of appliances, the use of critical equipment and the redeployment of resources from other areas. Deliberate fires are unacceptable at any time, but during a time of national crisis, it beggars belief that we are having this problem.

“While we remain committed to delivering an effective and efficient emergency response across south Wales, diverting our resources to deal with deliberate fires will draw fundamental and valuable resources away from our communities, placing unnecessary risk to life. This has to stop.”

Anyone who has information about the deliberate grass fires should contact 101 immediately, or they call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Anybody who sees a fire, or anyone starting a fire, should call 999 immediately.