Grassland fires: April 2022 to March 2023

Grassland fire data are published in a supplementary bulletin to the Fire and Rescue Incident Statistics produced in October 2023.

The analysis in this bulletin relates to Grassland fire and rescue service incidents between April 2022 and end March 2023, whilst making comparisons with April 2021 to March 2022, a period within the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Any increase or decrease in numbers should be considered within this context.

Main points

Fires

• The Welsh Fire and Rescue Authorities attended 2,619 grassland, woodland and crop fires in 2022-23, a rise of 7% on the number in 2021-22.
• The number of primary grassland fires rose by 29% in 2022-23 compared with 2021-22.
• Numbers of secondary grassland fires rose by 5% in 2022-23 (compared with 2021-22).
• In 2022-23, 7 in 10 fires on grassland, woodland and crops were started deliberately.
• 65% of grassland, woodland and crop fires in 2022-23 occurred in April 2022, July 2022 and August 2022. Met Office weather data shows that 40% of the hours of sunshine and only 10% of rainfall occurred in these months in 2022-23.
• There were more than 6 times as many grassland, woodland and crop fires in August 2022 compared to August 2021.
• 47% of grassland fires in 2022-23 occurred in South Wales; 35% were in Mid and West Wales and 18% were in North Wales.

Casualties

• There were 4 non-fatal casualties from grassland, woodland and crop fires in Wales in 2022‑23.
• The last fatality resulting from a grassland fire occurred in 2007-08.

Damage

• In 2022-23, 68% of grassland, woodland and crop fires damaged an area less than 20 square metres.
• 13% of grassland, woodland and crop fires damaged an area of more than 200 square metres.