Greenfield blaze prompts advice from fire service over garden waste burning
Three fire crews were called to an incident in Greenfield today after a fire spread out of control and caused extensive damage to a building.
North Wales Fire and Rescue service were called to the fire at 11.11am, two fire engines from Deeside and one from Holywell attended the incident on Mostyn Road.
The fire is thought to have been started by the burning of waste spreading out of control.
Firefighters found the blaze had spread to outbuildings of the Greenfield premises, it was brought under control and reported to have been extinguished at 1.30pm.
The incident has promoted a fire officer to highlight the importance of considering safety first when undertaking any burning of waste.
Tim Owen, Arson Reduction Manager for North Wales Fire and Rescue Service, said:
“With the promise of fine weather, many residents may be considering burning garden waste over the weekend.
However, controlled burns like this can easily get out of control and I’d ask everyone to keep safety in mind.
When the weather is dry it is easy for fires to spread and burns can very quickly get out of control putting homes and the lives of crews and residents at risk. So please think safety first before you light up your garden waste this summer!”
The burning of garden waste could dramatically rise in Flintshire this summer following the introduction of brown bin charges in April.
By the beginning of April, just over 20,000 households had signed up for the nine months a year collection service according to a freedom of information request submitted by Deeside.com.
Flintshire County Council has forecast 27,000 of the 63,000 households in the county will take up the offer which costs £30 a year.
The introduction of brown bin charges means those who don’t want to pay for the service, on top of a council tax bill which has seen a 6.7% hike this year – will face the choice of taking their waste to the council recycling centres or composting, others may be tempted to burn their garden waste.
If you are planning a controlled burn, then please follow the safety tips below:
- Call North Wales Fire and Rescue Service on 01931 522 006 to notify them of the intended burn – this will help prevent crews being called out needlessly.
- Site any bonfire well away from buildings, fences, trees and garden structures.
- Have a garden hose to hand in case the fire starts to get out of control.
- Don’t light a bonfire on a windy day, as it could flare up more than you expect.
- Be courteous to your neighbours – if you’re planning a substantial bonfire, let them know, and stay with it at all times to ensure that it remains safe.
- Never use flammable liquids such as petrol or paraffin to start a bonfire.
