Grassland Fires, 2007

Statistics on grassland fire incident include data for Wales for the calendar years 2000 to 2007. The latest release updates the statistics previously released on 28 August 2008.

Fires

• The Welsh Fire and Rescue Services attended around 7,400 grassland fires in 2007, a decrease of 15 per cent on 2006 and 49 per cent less than the highest in this period in 2003.
• The number of primary grassland, crops, woods etc. fires in Wales varied from 30 to 160 in the years 2000 to 2007. The number of secondary grassland, heathland and intentional straw and stubble burning fires varied between 5,400 and 14,200 in the years 2000 to 2007.
• In the years 2000 to 2007 about 3 in 4 primary fires on grassland, crops, woods etc. were started deliberately
• In the years 2000 to 2007 more than half of all grassland fires occurred in March, April and May.
• Of the grassland fires in 2000-2007, 6 in 10 were in South Wales, 3 in 10 were in Mid and West Wales and 1 in 10 were in North Wales.

Casualties

• There was one fatal casualty and there was one nonfatal casualty from grassland fires in Wales in 2007.

Damage

• During the years 2000 to 2007, 64 per cent of grassland, crops, woods etc. primary fires damaged more than 200 square metres but 22 per cent damaged less than 20 square metres.
• The number of fires damaging more than 20 square metres has decreased from 115 in 2000 to 60 in 2007 but this was an increase from 27 in 2006.

Source

• In the years 2000-2007 the source of ignition of 38 per cent of primary grassland, crops, woods etc. fires was matches and 30 per cent spread from another fire.
• The material first ignited was standing vegetation in 66 per cent of primary grassland, crops, woods etc. fires and cut but unprocessed vegetation in 17 per cent of fires.

Contact

Tel: 029 2082 3371
E-mail: stats.inclusion@wales.gsi.gov.uk