Statistics, Document
Grassland fires: April 2023 to March 2024 (headline results)
Data on type of fire, casualties, damage and source for April 2023 to March 2024.
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Introduction
Grassland fire data are published in a supplementary bulletin to the Fire and Rescue Incident Statistics produced in November 2024.
The analysis in this bulletin relates to Grassland fire and rescue service incidents between April 2023 and end March 2024, whilst making comparisons with April 2022 to March 2023.
Main points
Fires
- The Welsh Fire and Rescue Authorities attended 1,788 grassland, woodland and crop fires in 2023-24, a fall of 32% on the number in 2022-23.
- The number of primary grassland fires rose by 3% in 2023-24 compared with 2022-23, although numbers are small.
- Numbers of secondary grassland fires fell by 34% in 2023-24 (compared with 2022-23).
- In 2023-24, 7 in 10 fires on grassland, woodland and crops were started deliberately.
- 61% of grassland, woodland and crop fires in 2023-24 occurred in May 2023 and June 2023. Met Office weather data shows that 36% of the hours of sunshine and only 5% of rainfall occurred in these months in 2023-24.
- 51% of grassland fires in 2023-24 occurred in South Wales; 37% were in Mid and West Wales and 13% were in North Wales.
Casualties
- There were 2 non-fatal casualties from grassland, woodland and crop fires in Wales in 2023‑24.
- The last fatality resulting from a grassland fire occurred in 2007-08.
Damage
- In 2023-24, 64% of grassland, woodland and crop fires damaged an area less than 20 square metres.
- 17% of grassland, woodland and crop fires damaged an area of more than 200 square metres.
