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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Grass fires multiply crews' calls | Grass fires multiply crews' calls |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| South Wales Fire Service have seen their calls increase tenfold since the start of April, as they battle against a rising number of grass fires. | |
| Crews have had 3000 calls, many over grass fires over the last six days, said the service's Mike Flanagan. | Crews have had 3000 calls, many over grass fires over the last six days, said the service's Mike Flanagan. |
| He appealed directly to youngsters who he said were largely responsible for are setting the fires not to do so. | He appealed directly to youngsters who he said were largely responsible for are setting the fires not to do so. |
| "We would say 'Look it's just not cool to light a fire on the mountains, it really isn't'," Mr Flanagan said. | "We would say 'Look it's just not cool to light a fire on the mountains, it really isn't'," Mr Flanagan said. |
| On Thursday night fire crews in south Wales attended 85 emergency calls dealing with grass fires alone, he said. | On Thursday night fire crews in south Wales attended 85 emergency calls dealing with grass fires alone, he said. |
| One was on a mountain at Nantyglo in Blaenau Gwent while in north Wales crews battled through the night on Wednesday to tackle blazes across 700 square metres of National Trust land in Conwy. | One was on a mountain at Nantyglo in Blaenau Gwent while in north Wales crews battled through the night on Wednesday to tackle blazes across 700 square metres of National Trust land in Conwy. |
| "A fire on a mountain can be as difficult for us to deal with as a medium sized commercial premises or a school or a large shop, " Mr Flanagan explained, adding one firefighter had collapsed with heat exhaustion on Friday night. | "A fire on a mountain can be as difficult for us to deal with as a medium sized commercial premises or a school or a large shop, " Mr Flanagan explained, adding one firefighter had collapsed with heat exhaustion on Friday night. |
| It really does beggar belief that they are setting fire on their own doorstep Mike Flanagan | It really does beggar belief that they are setting fire on their own doorstep Mike Flanagan |
| "There's no doubt in my mind that every time the schools are on holiday - and it's almost seasonal, we almost know when we're going to get busy. | "There's no doubt in my mind that every time the schools are on holiday - and it's almost seasonal, we almost know when we're going to get busy. |
| "It's young people who are going up the mountain sometimes on mountain bikes, sometimes on motor bikes deliberately setting a string of fires that we then have to deal with." | "It's young people who are going up the mountain sometimes on mountain bikes, sometimes on motor bikes deliberately setting a string of fires that we then have to deal with." |
| He said fighting the fires was depleting resources and killing a lot of wildlife and greenery in the area. | He said fighting the fires was depleting resources and killing a lot of wildlife and greenery in the area. |
| Mr Flanagan said the fire service would be co-operating with police who would be using helicopters this weekend to try to identify people in hotspots responsible for setting the grass fires. | Mr Flanagan said the fire service would be co-operating with police who would be using helicopters this weekend to try to identify people in hotspots responsible for setting the grass fires. |
| "I don't think sometimes our young people think about the consequences of what they're doing but the knock-on effect to the fire service and to the community is significant, both financially and in terms of resources, "he said. | "I don't think sometimes our young people think about the consequences of what they're doing but the knock-on effect to the fire service and to the community is significant, both financially and in terms of resources, "he said. |
| Nowhere to go | Nowhere to go |
| "There's a significant risk to people who go up the mountain and set fires. | "There's a significant risk to people who go up the mountain and set fires. |
| "The winds can change and they can find themselves caught with nowhere to go." | "The winds can change and they can find themselves caught with nowhere to go." |
| Mr Flanagan appealed to parents and older brothers and sisters to discourage younger people from lighting these fires. | Mr Flanagan appealed to parents and older brothers and sisters to discourage younger people from lighting these fires. |
| "The community belongs to all of us. It really does beggar belief that they are setting fire on their own doorstep," he added | "The community belongs to all of us. It really does beggar belief that they are setting fire on their own doorstep," he added |
| His appeal follows one by Forestry Commission Wales warning people of the dangers of starting grass fires over the Easter holiday. | His appeal follows one by Forestry Commission Wales warning people of the dangers of starting grass fires over the Easter holiday. |
| The commission said recent dry weather had "heightened" the risks. | The commission said recent dry weather had "heightened" the risks. |