Crews called to deliberate woodland fire in Stoke-on-Trent

We are reminding people of the dangers of deliberately setting fires as demand starts to increase due to warmer weather.

This Easter weekend, we were called to around 30 outdoor fires, many of which were preventable.

A small outdoor fire can quickly get out of hand, especially in dry weather, and cause extensive damage to landscapes, wildlife and communities.

They also put a strain on our firefighters, who are often dealing with increased demand brought on by drier weather.

At 8.20pm on Thursday (2 April), two appliances were called to an area of woodland off Thornhill Road, Bentilee, Stoke-on-Trent.

They found two fires, one measuring 20 metres by 10 metres, and one measuring five metres by five metres.

The fires were extinguished using backpacks and beaters and thankfully, nobody was reported injured.

The cause of the fires was deemed to be deliberate.

Head of Prevent, Protect and Partnerships, Ian Read, said: "As the weather gets warmer, the risk of outdoor fire increases because the grass gets very dry, meaning fires can start and spread more quickly.

"This means that what might start as a bit of fun can have catastrophic consequences and put lives in danger.

"I would urge parents to speak to their children about the dangers of deliberately setting fires; it is an offence and we will support investigations by colleagues from Staffordshire Police.

For more outdoor safety tips, visit Safety outside.