Deliberate grassland fires quadruple in Staffordshire

The number of deliberate grass fires in Staffordshire has more than quadrupled, firefighters have said.

The fire and rescue service have dealt with 323 deliberate fires in the county during the first three weeks of the school holidays, compared to 64 in the same period last year.

Firefighters are continuing to tackle a blaze at nature reserve the Roaches in Upper Hulme.

The cause is unknown, but arson is not being ruled out, the fire service said.

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Fire crews are continuing to urge people to avoid the area

The fire at the Roaches has been ongoing since it began on Thursday. The fire service said they expect it to continue for another couple of days, and heavy rain forecast overnight should allow them to scale down the operation.

Glynn Luznyj, director of Prevent and Protect at Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service, said: "Please help us to educate young children of the dangers and consequences of setting fires and keep an eye out for potential fire starters.

"If you see any risk or sign of fire, call the fire service right away."

The Roaches fire has spread to cover 219 acres (0.8 sq km) since Thursday

Staffordshire Wildlife Trust has warned the blaze has caused long-lasting damage to the environment.

Jeff Sim said: "Slower moving wildlife, particularly lizards, frogs and toads may also have perished. Insects vital in the food chain will also have died."