Amman fire fighters 'inundated with unnecessary 999 calls'

Fires have been raging through the Amman Valley for over a week with repeated 999 calls being made by anxious members of the people.

Officers have attended the blazes only to discover that the  vast majority of fires were being controlled.

“If we’re not informed of these controlled burns, then people dial 999, call the fire service and we send out our crews to attend,” said Neil Evans of the Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service.

“But officers are wasting their time by attending, and this is now becoming a significant problem.”

Officer Evans was speaking from the Black Mountains in the Amman Valley after his crew had spent six hours extinguishing a blaze.

“It has to be said that people are being irresponsible in lighting these fires, but not doing them in a controlled manner.

"Whenever we’re called out, the engines are being diverted when they might be needed elsewhere.

"For example if there was a road traffic collision or a property fire, then the crews that would be required to attend would be limited.”

Landowners are legally entitled to light fires inside the ‘burn season’ which will continue until the end of this month. 

But before doing so, they’re required to inform the fire services of the dates when their fires are scheduled to take place.

Landowners, however, are failing to provide the Rescue Service with this important information and as a result, fire engines are being repeatedly called out to attend blazes which are being managed and controlled  by the landowners.

This week, officer Evans said his service had been ‘inundated’ with calls.

“Our resources are extremely stretched at the moment,” he concluded.

“We totally understand why it’s happening, because it’s the burn season, and the weather has been absolutely spot on for burning fires on land.

"But land owners have got to remember that even though it’s legal, they need to ensure that they inform us whenever a fire takes place.”