This week sees the launch of Operation Dawns Glaw, a multi-agency partnership to reduce deliberate fires across Wales With the dry and warm weather over the weekend and predicted for the forthcoming weeks, Fire Services across Wales are urging members of the public to act responsibly. This year to date the Welsh Fire and Rescue Services have attended 67 grass fires, 52 of which were recorded as being deliberate. Over the weekend of the 20^th March, there were over 25 separate incidents of grass fire recorded across Wales alone! Deliberate grass fires in Wales place an unnecessary and detrimental burden on our Communities as well as destroying our wildlife habitats. By having to tackle deliberate grass fires, firefighters are potentially unavailable for life threatening fires and road accidents elsewhere.

Fire and Rescue Services in Wales have attended 3230 grass fire incidents over the last five years, which cost the Welsh economy millions of pounds every year, many of which are started deliberately

Recognising the impact deliberate grass fires have on our communities, Operation Dawns Glaw was established in 2015 by the three Welsh Fire and Rescue Services supported by a range of partners and support from the Welsh Government. The task force aim is to tackle the ongoing issue of Grass Fires and all other deliberate fires occurring in Wales and their impact upon the community.

Mydrian Harries, Task Force Lead for Operation Dawns Glaw said, “Engaging with our Communities is at the heart of our valuable arson prevention work. Operation Dawns Glaw enables us to deliver a wide range of fire prevention and safe burning messages across our vast Service area. Our work to date has shown that members of the public will often know who has started these deliberate fires in their communities and we would urge the public to support our work to stop these fires from starting and reporting those responsible to Crimestoppers or the Police.

While we all work together to support our Communities during the COVID 19 epidemic by remaining at home, there is no place for deliberate fires in our society especially during the current situation. Deliberate grass fires reduce air quality as well as stretch valuable emergency services away from life saving incidents, so we appeal to everyone to help us to help them at this difficult time”

Setting illegal grass fires is a serious crime and could leave you with a Criminal Record. If you see anyone setting fires, please call the Police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

To find out more about Operation Dawns Glaw, the Joint Arson Group and the Wales Arson Reduction Strategy, please visit your local Fire and Rescue Service’s website.

Please Stay At Home!

In light of the early school closures, North Wales Fire and Rescue Service urges everyone to follow the Welsh Government’s advice and keep children at home.