Councillors call on tougher measures for wildfires

Stafford Borough Council is calling for tougher measures to crack down on wildfires and those found to be starting them deliberately after blazes destroyed homes in Stoke-on-Trent and rare heathland in Cannock Chase.

Two fires devastated 15 hectares (37 acres) of heathland in Sherbrook Valley, near Brocton, last month, killing lizards, adders and other animals and leading to the temporary closure of a section of Chase Road.

At the latest Stafford Borough Council meeting (8 September), Green Party members Doug Rouxel and Emma Carter urged the authority to write to the Government to call for legislation to be made more stringent to tackle wildfires. 

They wish to see measures including larger penalties for those deliberately starting wildfires and burning waste illegally and a greater level of restriction on all activities in public spaces and private land which could accidentally lead to wildfires.

They are also asking the government to lower the standard of proof for activities involving burning of waste outdoors, so that video and photographic evidence is sufficient for prosecution and the time frame for investigations is shortened.