Horn alerts residents to grass fire metres away
SHOCKING video footage has captured flames residents could see after a grass fire was just metres away from their homes in Swansea.
Residents in Mayals were woken up in the early hours of Sunday morning to smoke and flames following a large grass fire in Clyne Common.
Madison Bowden-Parry was alerted to the fire by a neighbour who was beeping her car horn to wake everyone up.
“We were awoken around 4.30am by our neighbour, who was alerting the whole area, she was amazing. The fire was edging closer to her house.
“When I looked outside my window I could see that the fire was spreading in the wind, the land is really dry up here. The sky was red.
“We were quite close to the fire, all of the neighbours were outside. The video shows how close it was to our houses,” she said.
The 23-year-old said that the fire is devastating to the area.
“We are deeply saddened by what has happened to the habitat and wildlife along the Common, but are thankful for the hard work of our local response teams.”
It is not yet known how the fire started or if it was deliberate.
However, since the coronavirus pandemic broke, the fire service has received a particularly high volume of calls to irresponsible and deliberate fires in south Wales. There’s been reports of grass fires in several places including Blaenllechau, Rhondda, and Kilvey Hill and Townhill areas of Swansea.
Inspector Mike Rudall, from the Community Safety Partnership, said: “The abilities of the emergency services to carry out their vital roles during these challenging times can be seriously impaired by the reckless and inconsiderate actions of the few.
“I am requesting support from parents and guardians who should know exactly where their children are and what they are doing, especially during a time when everybody’s movement has been severely restricted.
He added: “We will investigate reports of deliberate fire setting – anybody who is found to be responsible faces the prospect of being prosecuted.
“Ultimately, their actions could cause a loss of life, serious injury and significant damage to land, property and wildlife.”