POLICE are patrolling on Bodmin Moor today following ’repeated deliberate fires’ across the moor.
Those who had started the fires were ’witless idiots putting lives at risk’ said the Bodmin Moor Commons Council (BMCC).
Thanking the 22 personnel who spent hours tackling an 8-mile blaze, a spokesperson for the BMCC said: ’Thanks to firefighters attending from several stations to tackle a major fire on Bodmin Moor. Very difficult dangerous terrain. NOT a controlled burn. This was a witless idiot putting lives at risk.’
The first call of yeterday was at around 9.20am when Delabole fire crew were called out to reports of a fire at Brown Willy and Buttern Hill. Firefighters extinguished the blaze using beaters.
At 11.30am, several reports came in of smoke issuing from the Leskernich Hill area. A crew of four from Bodmin Fire Station was initiallly mobilised, but as the afternoon went on, further requests for assistance were made in order to tackle the blaze and by 2.30pm, 22 firefighters from Bodmin, Launceston, Callington and Delabole were in attendance.
The fire was out by 4.30pm.
In a spearate incident also yesterday afternoon, firefighters from Callington, Delabole and Holsworthy were called to a large shed fire at Davidstow aerodrome.
On arrival just after 4pm, crews found a concrete shed well alight and tacked the blaze with hoses.
The fire was declared out at just after 5pm.
As a result of this spate of fires, Devon and Cornwall Police are patrolling the area, said a spokeperson for Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service.
Anyone with information or who sees someone starting deliberate fires should contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.