Fire service plea against arson attacks in West Norfolk

Fire service chiefs have renewed their appeals for residents to stay vigilant against the threat of grass blazes following a further incident in West Norfolk this week.

Several crews were called to one such incident at Leziate on Tuesday, among others across the borough in recent days.

Although that incident is not believed to be suspicious, officials say more than half of open ground fires reported in Norfolk so far this year have been started deliberately.

And with the current heat wave set to continue for at least the next few days, they fear they could find themselves facing a major incident.

Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service’s head of fire prevention and protection, Garry Collins, said: “Arson costs lives. The majority of fires in the open are started deliberately and those people responsible will be caught and prosecuted.

“They are putting lives at risk and stretching our resources and we may well be needed elsewhere such as house fires and road traffic collisions that are life threatening.”

Norfolk County Council’s communities committee chairman, Margaret Dewsbury said: “We are asking for the public, business owners, farmers and families, to be extra vigilant in the current hot conditions and ask that the public avoids using naked flames.”