Firefighters are calling for support from the public after responding to more than 2,000 deliberate fires in six months.
Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service (TWFRS) have revealed, since the beginning of 2023, they have responded to incidents of grassland, wheelie bins, and even play parks being targeted by fire setters. Their figures show there have been a shockingly high 2,055 deliberate fires set across the region since the start of the year.
Responsible for the Gateshead area
Ryton Willows, a nature reserve in Gateshead, was an area that was seriously damaged by a wildfire last August, the cause of which is still unknown. The fire saw six appliances, the fireboat, and 28 firefighters battle the blaze for over 20 hours with three-and-a-half kilometers of woodland sadly destroyed. But now TWFRS have revealed that, and since the start of June, firefighters have been called to 11 deliberate fires in the reserve – sparking concerns a wildfire could reignite there.
Ryton Willows was seriously damaged by a wildfire last August, the cause is yet obscure
The ground has not fully recovered from the fire last summer, and the actions of a small few may permanently damage the reserve. Group Manager Paul Thompson, Head of Service Delivery West for TWFRS, is responsible for the Gateshead area. He says there have been 367 fires since the beginning of the year, an average of almost two a day, causing concerns about the safety of residents. He has now encouraged parents, carers, and members of the public to speak to young people in particular about the dangers of this reckless behavior.
Deliberate fire setting
Group Manager Thompson said: “Antisocial behavior can have such detrimental effects on a community causing issues for so many people across the region. We’ve been working closely with Gateshead Council and Northumbria Police to see what provisions are in place to get our young people using their time more wisely rather than causing problems for our communities across the borough. As we get closer to the summer holidays, we often see spikes in antisocial behavior across the region, so I really want to reach out to parents and carers and get them to speak to their children."
He adds, “We know that it’s only a small number of young people who engage in this type of behavior, but if you have information that could help us to stop this we need to know. Firestoppers is a great service that we’ve worked alongside for many years, they offer free anonymous reporting on deliberate fire setting in your area, and I would ask that people use them to get this issue under control.”
Anti-social behavior
Together, we can ensure communities carry on being such welcoming places to live, work and visit"
Inspector Kevin Ashurst, of Northumbria Police, said: “Anti-social behavior is never acceptable and that is why we continue to work with our partners and the local community to address any issues relating to it. Typically, in summer we see more people out and about which often coincides with us receiving more reports of this type of behavior."
He adds, "As always, we’d ask the public to work with us by reporting any information about suspected incidents so that we can respond accordingly. Together, we can ensure our communities carry on being such welcoming places to live, work and visit.”
Commitment of TWFRS
Councillor Angela Douglas, Chair of the Gateshead Community Safety Board, said: “It’s extremely disappointing that a small minority of people continue to behave in a way that’s so damaging to our green spaces and communities."
“Deliberate fires, even small ones, have serious consequences that young people may not fully understand. Please help us to tackle the issue and keep Gateshead safe and enjoyable for everyone by reporting deliberate fire settings. TWFRS is committed to working with partners from all over the region to combat antisocial behavior."