Bournemouth’s Spate Of “Deliberate” Heath Fires
By Paul Homewood
From the Bournemouth Echo:
Another reminder that wildfires are often started by humans, whether deliberately or not:
The fire service was called to Bourne Valley nature reserve for the fourth and fifth times in three days on Tuesday, May 23 with fires tearing across the beauty spot on Sunday and twice on Monday.
The first call of Tuesday afternoon came at 4.54pm.
Crews from Redhill Park, Westbourne and two from Poole attended the scene in the nature reserve with a small 4×4 pumping appliance.
The fire covered an area of approximately 20 x 30 metres, and it was extinguished with hose reel jets, the small pumping appliances and beaters.
It was put out at 5.31pm, before another call was made to the service shortly after 8pm.
Crews from Westbourne and two from Poole attended this fire, along with another small 4×4 pumping appliance and a water carrier from Ringwood.
The second fire covered an area of around 30 x 20 metres.
It was extinguished half an hour after the call came, at 8.32pm, using hose reel jets and a high-pressure bar.
Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service confirmed that it is working with Dorset Police as they believe the fire was started deliberately.
The police confirmed they are investigating the spate of fires and warned of the “devastating consequences” that the fires have on communities.
Inspector Nick Lee of Poole Neighbourhood Policing Team said: “We want to send a clear message that this type of behaviour is unacceptable.”
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NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THAT 
If they catch a perp, he or she or it will get a sharp word of two until someone dies, then they’ll maybe get a caution?
It’s worth noting that arson amongst firefighters (particularly retained ones) is a significant issue for the fire services. It is not only the fault of feral kids.
In France it’s a real problem amongst the volunteers – they get a taste for the heroics. Lots of eleildfires last summer were started deliberately across France.
There was an investigation a couple of years ago into wildfires in South Wales and that concluded 90-95% were started by humans, not all deliberately. The evidence was conclusive – most started by or close to access roads, clear day/time pattern etc.
Apart from the adrenaline, the reservists are short of money and the temptation to start a cluster of fires that necessitate their call-up is always there. And usually it is a cluster of fires, clearly firestarters at work.
Incidentally, 40,000 lightning strikes here in Spain yesterday 30.5.23
REALLY??
‘Not acceptable’ eh? Arrest the idiots and get them JAILED before someone dies. ________________________________
The greenies should bf up in arms demanding the guilty pay carbon restitution tax or something equally stupid.
Loss of grass,
CO2 released
Diesel for the firefighters
Doughnuts
Water used
It’s a pity they can’t give them a thump if they catch them
I live locally and this happens every year on the various heaths. Always coincides with school holidays etc. Last year one of the biggest heath fires at Holt Heath was caused when National Trust workers who let a “controlled” burn get out of control. The same happened at Studland heath as well when a bonfire was left unattended. Large areas were destroyed. Still, climate change eh…………………….
I was going to suggest that! We had a fire in my neighborhood wood a few years ago. Day after school got out for the summer. Kids started it.
Do UK schools close for the summer?
Closed for half term this week. Then most close for 6 or 7 weeks from mid July to early September
Thx.
It’s almost if there is a prepared narrative, and they go with it, no matter how benign the weather!
Scotland, could be worst fire in history(experts say!), visible from space (as are the landscape scars from windfarms!), all caused by a very unexciting 24C!
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12141901/Two-firefighters-hurt-Highlands-tried-tackle-huge-inferno-visible-space.html
Remember a short while back there was an enormous fire in Snowdonia whilst it was soaking wet. If people set light to stuff, it burns.
I’ve made the point before: give me tinder and a spark and I’ll light you a fire at the South Pole; absent either of those things and you can’t have a fire anywhere.
The only likely exception would be sunlight on a piece of discarded glass acting as a lens.
Lightning will provide the spark and bad land management the tinder or we are talking human intervention, either deliberate or not. “Climate” has absolutely nothing to do with it except that the climate fanatics are usually the same ones who are opposed to proper clearance of dead vegetation ‘cos that wouldn’t be ecological!
“Experts say it could be the largest ever”.
Really, this “experts say” nonsense is out of control. Of course it “could” be.
It’s journo code for random alarmist factoid.
Also, from an ITV report last August: ‘The London Fire Brigade has warned that disposable barbecues “pose a significant fire risk if they are not put out properly, causing grass fires in open spaces and scorching the grassed areas”.’
Absolutely. Track the rise in rural fires with the sales of disposable bbqs.
Nice weather, Disposable bbq, careless idiots (majority of popn).
Result!
Indeed —and there was a tragic report last summer of a young girl who had her foot badly burned when she trod on a ‘disposable’ bbq buried by an idiot in the sand on a beach!
Really, there is no cure for stupid….
What, NO mention of climate change?
Also a real problem in Australia, much increased by the stupid policies of Greenies who ban clearing undergrowth, dead wood and even clearing fire trails. Fortunately not a problem at the moment with all the rain we have had (due to the 3 La Nīna we’ve had) but watch out if we have a hot summer early next year.
More southern half-term mischief.
https://uknip.co.uk/Breaking/News/breaking/fire-crews-tackle-large-wildfire-blaze-in-aldershot/
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c6pd3pgpln9o
Has been dry lately, nothing exceptional, temperatures very unexceptional.