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It's an annual thing here, supposed to stop by 31st March I believe. Farmers say that it helps remove woody heather and promote new growth. I say it exposed peat and kills less mobile organisms like invertebrates, reptiles, amphibians and small mammals. The 31st March cut off date is supposed to protect ground nesting birds.
Today, April 25th, yet another fire was set above the Amman valley, the third one in as many days. My wife was caught up in it. She was with a Duke of Edinburgh award practice expedition and she was wholly unaware until another supervisor elsewhere phoned her to let her know. They diverted the group and everyone was OK.
Fire brigade attended and were brilliant; and really exasperated about the whole thing. They had to close the road, the lanes are very narrow and the engines are big beasts.
I've spoken with the firefighters previously, they don't believe that the fires just start on their own... ...they have their suspicions. I don't think it is bored kids either, it's not the holidays yet so kids should be in school, fires at wrong time of day, really isolated spot etc. I've heard that it's a way to help control ticks but don't know if this is so.
At 10.30PM I can smell the smoke here at home and she can see the still burning hillside from the campsite about five miles away. It's all going to green up soon enough I suppose but I don't think it should be happening in the first place.
Mrs A is peeved but OK. DoE participants are OK. I am far less accepting than I was previously.