FIREFIGHTERS from Brynmawr and Blaenavon were called to tackle a blaze which broke out on the Blorenge mountain on Wednesday evening.

South Wales Fire and Rescue Service said it was called to the fire, near the Foxhunter car park, at around 8.30pm, with ten firefighters attending the incident.

The grass fire is the second to occur in the area in the past week with an area of the Bryn Arw mountain affected during the weekend.

The early grass fires come as Welsh Fire and Rescue Services launch their new campaign which aims to draw attention to the dangers of deliberate grass and mountain fires.

Every Spring the three Welsh Fire and Rescue Services fight a huge number of deliberate grass and mountain fires that traditionally put lives at risk, create scars across the valleys of Wales, and costs the taxpayer millions of pounds every year.

To mark the start off the All Wales 'Project Wildfire' to combat this Firefighters from across Wales showcased the various traditional and pioneering equipment that is used to tackle the large number of grass and mountain fires that occur across Wales as well as the various prevention, education and enforcement campaigns and initiatives that they will be rolling out across the country to reduce deliberate grass and mountain fires.

Working with their partners 'Project Wildfire' consists of three strands: Operation Wildfire, Bernie Project and Controlled Burning.

The aim of 'Operation Wildfire' is to ensure that Firefighters have the most up to date and effective equipment available to them, to successfully tackle any deliberate grass and mountain fires while protecting operational Firefighters on the ground. The purchase of Argocat all terrain vehicles with fogging units has improved the way in which fires may be attacked. Also significant investment in training has enabled the 3 services to train together and produce a Standard Operating Procedure for Wildfire which supports interoperability between services.

Also this year, Mid and South Wales Fire and Rescue Service are joining forces with the Forestry Commission Wales, Brecon Beacons National Park Authority and Airborne Solutions to launch their 'Wild Fire Project'. This partnership initiative is aimed at reducing the number of grass fires in the Valleys of South Wales over the Easter period.

During 'Project Wildfire' the Forestry Commission Wales will work closely with the Fire and Rescue Service to combat grass fires by providing a specialist helicopter that uses skill and speed to collect water from its nearest source and then drop with precision over any wildfires sweeping across the mountains and valleys of Mid and South Wales.

Peter Cloke, Forest District Manager Forestry Commission Wales explains "The strong partnership that has been developed between the Fire and Rescue Services and Forestry Commission is ensuring the grass fires that plagues south Wales every year are being dealt with in an efficient manor".

"We welcome the investment in new specialist equipment that the fire and rescue services have made and feel this will make big difference to how quickly fires are dealt with, we will of course continue with providing a fire fighting helicopter to support them". 

Acting Assistant Chief Fire Officer of Operations, Andrew Thomas at South Wales Fire and Rescue Service said "The only way to tackle this recurring problem is a concerted effort by all interested agencies. We are extremely fortunate that the issue has been fully embraced by the Forestry Commission who have provided us with this specialist helicopter equipment and pilot. The speed and precision of the helicopter in extinguishing wildfires will enable us to tackle wildfires more efficiently and effectively".

John Cook, Chief Executive at Brecon Beacons National Park Authority said:  "Last year, wildfires in the Brecon Beacons National Park caused catastrophic damage to more than 2000 acres of important moorland habitats.  Fires burned with such intensity that they reached down into carbon-rich peat bog and the long term effects of this are immeasurable – it could very well take years to recover, if at all.  Not only were lives put at risk but hundreds of ground nesting birds' nests and feeding habitat destroyed. As a result of this damage our Conservation Team and the Wardens are working very hard to produce fire risk maps and conducting controlled burns with local graziers so that we can be prepared for any fire risk to the National Park.   We also commissioned a range of specialist aerial photographs of damaged areas in order to establish a new monitoring baseline over the longer term.

 "We welcome the partnership approach that the Welsh Fire and Rescue Services are taking to combat wildfires and we hope that by raising awareness of this important project we can work with local people to be more vigilant and reduce fire by carrying out controlled burns which help rejuvenate heather and improve conditions for grazing and for biodiversity at our special sites."

'Project Bernie' is originally a South Wales Fire and Rescue Service and partnership initiative that aims to tackle and stop deliberate grass and mountain fires over the Easter Holiday period, in high risk areas of South Wales.

Project Bernie' is an engagement project that has been tailored for the communities that historically suffer from a high amount of deliberate grass and mountain fires and uses new social marketing techniques in education, diversionary activities, enforcement, operational tactics, along with partnership working to reduce deliberate grass and mountain fires.

This year, the main message from Project Bernie is that if a person or persons are caught or proved to be deliberating starting grass or mountain fires, the Fire and Rescue Service, in partnership with the Police will prosecute them – this can lead to a £5000 fine and two years in prison if convicted.

Bernie project key messages

Convicted arsonists can face serious consequences

Arson has a negative environmental, economical and human impact on local the local and wider reaching community

Community Safety Partnerships is hosting and facilitating diversionary and engagement activities for young people in high risk areas under the title project Bernie.

A controlled burning campaign will be implemented to reduce false calls to the Fire and Rescue Service and reduce the risk of a fire getting out of control. SWFRS have entered into partnership with the Brecon Beacons National Park to support them in their active management of land. This not only assists the parks staff in carrying out controlled burns but also gives FRS staff the opportunity to develop their offensive burning skills. In areas of the South Wales valleys around Merthyr Tydfil and Tonypandy, local proactive arrangements include the support of the probation service in using young offenders to cut fire breaks in 'high risk' areas, where property may be affected by fire.

The three Fire and Rescue Services across Wales want to make those persons that are intending to burn grass, heather, gorse or the like that the Fire and Rescue Service can help them with setting up a safe environment to burn and also to let them know that they need to make their local Fire and Rescue Service aware of their intention to burn.

In addition to this, following the Hill Farming Act 1946 and the Heather and Grass Burning Code for Wales 2008 there are laws and regulations that need to be followed before undertaking 'controlled burning'.

Martin Hendersen, Head of Risk Reduction for the South Wales Fire and Rescue Service, said; "Tackling the issues of deliberate grass fires is as much about prevention, education and enforcement as it is about new operational equipment and tactics. We have been and will continue to work closely with the Forestry Commission Wales and our partner agencies to address the underlying issues of anti social behaviour that result in the devastation of the environment. We are very keen to involve the local people in stopping the blight of deliberate grass fires, it has a negative impact to the communities, to the taxpayer and to the environment, and it has to stop".

Chris Hadfield, Group Manager, South Wales Fire and Rescue Service said; "The Easter holiday period traditionally sees the number of deliberately set grass and mountain soar and results in South Wales' fire crews being stretched to breaking point. Annually, the South Wales Fire and Rescue Service makes special preparations for potential spate conditions and this year, the Service is hoping that once again the diversionary and enforcement activities they have in place via 'Project Bernie' will reduce the number of deliberately set grass fires and ease the burden on the hundreds of Firefighters that may have to be mobilised to the valleys over the coming weeks".

Huw Jakeway, Acting Chief Fire Officer, South Wales Fire and Rescue, said; "Deliberately set grass fires are extremely unpredictable and can spiral out of control within minutes. Every time our Firefighters are called out to a deliberately set grass or mountain fire, not only does it cost the taxpayer thousands of pounds, negatively impacts on the environment, wildlife and carbon footprint and puts Firefighters at a needless risk but it also means that Firefighters could be diverted from attending a real emergency – someone trapped in a house fire or a crashed car, where there is a potential life risk"