Crop blazes prompt South Yorkshire farm fires warning

Firefighters from Doncaster spent more than an hour tackling one blaze after standing corn was set alight on Mere Lane in Armthorpe at about 11.30am yesterday.

Bales of hay were also set alight on land off Cumberland Drive in Barnsley at around 2pm yesterday, leaving fire crews tied down at the incident for two hours.

A spokesman for South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service said: “We get called to dozens of field and farm fires each year in South Yorkshire, with many of these fires occurring around harvesting time.

“Not only do fires like this put lives at risk by potentially diverting fire engines away from other, life-threatening incidents, they also cost farmers thousands of pounds in damage.

“The maximum sentence for arson is life in prison. People do get caught and do get prosecuted, so we urge people to report arsonists to the police.”

The brigade is also asking farmers to remove hay and straw as quickly as possible after harvesting and to store fuels, fertilisers and pesticides securely, preferably under lock and key.