An afternoon of arson attacks prompts urgent warning from Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Fire and Rescue Service

Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service has urged people not to set deliberate fires after several incidences of trees and bushes being set on fire on open ground close to the ring road in Huntingdon yesterday afternoon, Monday September 26.

A crew from Huntingdon was called to a tree on fire behind the rowing club in Riverside Park in Hartford Road at 2.12pm. Firefighters used small gear to extinguish the fire but used a hose reel to extinguish three separate fires in the vicinity around the same time after two tree stumps and a fence had been set alight in Church Lane, Hartford.

The cause of all four fires was deliberate and the crew returned to station by 2.52pm.

Station Commander Per Middleton said: “We have a good record in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Fire and Rescue Service for reducing unwanted calls and deliberate fires and we do this by engaging with the Community we serve.

“Sadly, deliberately set fires such as these occasionally still happen. It is extremely important that people understand the impact this has on the service. It needlessly takes up our resources that may be needed elsewhere, and has the potential to put the public and our crews at risk.

“Fires can spread quickly and unpredictably causing damage to property or even harm to people. Setting deliberate fires is a serious criminal offence. I would urge anyone with information on these incidents or similar activities to report it to the Police.”

Anyone with information should contact Police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.