Grassland fires: April 2021 to March 2022

Grassland fire data are published in a supplementary bulletin to the Fire and Rescue Incident Statistics produced in September 2022.

The analysis in this bulletin relates to Grassland fire and rescue service incidents between April 2021 and end March 2022, whilst making comparisons with April 2020 to March 2021, a period largely effected by the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, and therefore the public health restrictions that were in place during the course of the pandemic. Whilst restrictions were eased during 2021-22 there were some periods during the year when restrictions remained in place and patterns of behaviour may not have returned to that occurring prior to the pandemic.

Main points

Fires

• The Welsh Fire and Rescue Authorities attended 2,459 grassland, woodland and crop fires in 2021-22, a rise of 10% on the number in 2020-21.
• The number of primary grassland fires fell by 22% in 2021-22 compared with 2020-21.
• Numbers of secondary grassland fires rose by 13% in 2021-22 (compared with 2020-21).
• In 2021-22, almost three quarters of fires on grassland, woodland and crops were started deliberately.
• Over 60% of grassland, woodland and crop fires in 2021-22 occurred in April 2021 and March 2022. Met Office weather data shows that over 25% of the hours of sunshine and only 5% of rainfall occurred in these months in 2021-22.
• 44% of grassland fires in 2021-22 occurred in South Wales; 41% were in Mid and West Wales and 15% were in North Wales.

Casualties

• There were 3 non-fatal casualties from grassland, woodland and crop fires in Wales in 2021‑22.
• The last fatality resulting from a grassland fire occurred in 2007-08.

Damage

• In 2021-22, 59% of grassland, woodland and crop fires damaged an area less than 20 square metres.
• Over a fifth damaged an area of more than 200 square metres.