'Think about your actions': Firefighters' issue plea after battling blaze started by arsonists
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The team from Peterlee Fire Station was sent to Brandling Court in Shotton Colliery at 9.09pm yesterday, Wednesday, April 21, after an allotment was found on fire.
Firefighters used a hose reel to put out the fire and were on the scene until 10.30pm.
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Hide AdIt followed an earlier call out to the same area at 5.05pm when a small amount of rubbish was spotted on fire.
The crew used a high pressure hose reel to put it out, spending 15 minutes on the call out.
They come in the wake of a series of deliberate fires in the Peterlee area in recent days, with glass and bush fires and rubbish blazes set on open ground.
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Hide AdThe service has urged people to take home their waste, dispose of cigarettes property and to no light fires in the countryside or woodland, including barbecues.
CDDFRS Area Manager Keith Wanley, Head of Community Risk Management said: “We are aware of a number of instances of deliberate fires being started across the county in recent weeks and together with our partners in the police and local councils we would urge whoever is destroying our beautiful countryside to think about their actions.
“With warmer weather forecast in the coming weeks, we would like to remind all residents of the dangers of starting a fire in the open.
"What may start as a small campfire or bonfire can very quickly get out of control after periods of dry weather, which allows fire to spread incredibly quickly, putting lives at risk.
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Hide Ad“Fires such as these also take our valuable resources away from emergency situations and tie our crews up, sometimes for hours.
"To help us tackle these types of fires we would like to urge anyone with information around deliberate fires to call Firestoppers.”
Firestoppers can be contacted anonymously on 0800 169 5558 or reports can be sent online.