Grassland Fires, 2008

Statistics on grassland fire incident include data for Wales for the calendar years 2000 to 2008. The latest release updates the statistics previously released on 29 June 2009.

Fires

• The Welsh Fire and Rescue Services attended around 3,900 grassland fires in 2008, a decrease of 47 per cent on 2007 and 73 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 2008. The number of secondary grassland, heathland and intentional straw and stubble burning fires varied between 3,800 and 14,200 in the years 2000 to 2008.
• In the years 2000 to 2008 about 3 in 4 primary fires on grassland, crops, woods etc. were started deliberately.
• In the years 2000 to 2008 more than half of all grassland fires occurred in March, April and May.
• Of the grassland fires in 2000-2008, 4 in 7 were in South Wales, 2 in 7 were in Mid and West Wales and 1 in 7 were in North Wales.

Casualties

• There were 5 nonfatal casualties but no fatal casualties from grassland fires in Wales in 2008.

Damage

• During the years 2000 to 2008, 64 per cent of grassland, crops, woods etc. primary fires damaged more than 200 square metres but 21 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 41 in 2008, although in 2005 this number was 16.

Source

• In the years 2000-2008 the source of ignition of 37 per cent of primary grassland, crops, woods etc. fires was matches and 28 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

Next update

June 2011 (provisional - to be confirmed on Due Out Soon page)