Grassland fires: April 2020 to March 2021

Grassland fire data are published in a supplementary bulletin to the Fire and Rescue Incident Statistics produced in September 2021.

Numbers of grassland fires during 2020-21 may have been affected by the COVID-19 restrictions in place at times throughout the year.

Main points

Fires

• The Welsh Fire and Rescue Authorities attended 2,232 grassland, woodland and crop fires in 2020-21, a rise of 2% on the number in 2019-20.
• The number of primary grassland fires rose by 62% in 2020-21 compared with 2019-20.
• Numbers of secondary grassland fires fell by 1% in 2020-21 (compared with 2019-20).
• In 2020-21, almost three quarters of fires on grassland, woodland and crops were started deliberately.
• 34% of grassland fires in 2020-21 occurred in April 2020, 8% more than in April 2019. Met Office weather data shows April 2020 saw around 42% more hours of sunshine and 59% less rainfall, compared with April 2019.
• 47% of grassland fires in 2020-21 occurred in south Wales; 42% were in mid and west Wales and 11% were in north Wales.

Casualties

• There were 3 non-fatal casualties from grassland, woodland and crop fires in Wales in 2020‑21.
• The last fatality resulting from a grassland fire occurred in 2007-08.

Damage

• In 2020-21, 58% of grassland, woodland and crop fires damaged an area less than 20 square metres.
• A fifth damaged an area of more than 200 square metres.