Residents’ fears over grass fires

THESE are the flames residents could see from their gardens after a grass fire was started just metres away from their homes.

Sion Phenis, 34, from Cefn Hengoed, was at home with his partner and three-year-old child when he saw the smoke.

He said: “I was on the couch in my usual Sunday spot watching Scrum V and I saw the smoke.

“It was in the grassy area known as the Graig between Cefn Hengoed and Cwm Calon.

“The picture you can see [right] is of a neighbour’s garden two doors down at about 7pm on Sunday night.

“It was approximately 25-30 metres away from the houses.”

Mr Phenis went into the street but the smoke was so severe he couldn’t remain outside.

“When I went into the street the smoke was so bad I had to go back inside the house because I couldn’t really breath,” he said.

“The fire brigade arrived initially on foot with shovels and the two fire engines alongside the fire investigation team. The fire service did a great job.

“I moved here eight years ago and the neighbours said they have never seen anything in the area that bad.”

Mr Phenis believes that the location of his home on a hill stopped the fire from spreading towards his house.

He said that if it had got any closer, he and his family would have left the house and stayed with a relative.

Despite his house being unscathed others were not so lucky.

Mr Phenis said: “One of my neighbour’s chicken coops caught fire so the chickens had to be rescued. It is very dangerous.

“I would say the people doing it need to think about the consequences. People work hard for what they have and someone could lose their lives or livelihood.”

This was one of many fires dotted around the Valleys over the weekend. South Wales Fire and Rescue Service (SWFRS) has urged people to consider the consequences of their actions.

SWFRS group manager Vaughan Jenkins has said: “One of the biggest issues is the drain resources.

“If someone has a house fire or if there is a road traffic collision, then it will mean a delay in our response time.

“We have got a lot of education at the moment to reduce them but that still needs to get through.

“I’d say to those who lit the fire, or knew who did, to think about all of the consequences of what you’re doing.

“It’s destroying the landscape and the wildlife – and it could cost people’s lives because of the delays it causes.” it puts on our