Let’s stop them going to blazes (From Bournemouth Echo)

Let’s stop them going to blazes

8:00am Friday 19th March 2010 in

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SO the ‘spy in the sky’ spotter plane didn’t quite cut the mustard when it came to deterring arsonists on Canford Heath, so now we’re changing tack.

Upton Heath is another of our area’s natural gems and it’s now being patrolled by some of Dorset Fire and Rescue’s finest... on mountain bikes.

The swapping of modern technology for old-style legwork – and on Upton Heath’s wild and sprawling acres it’s going to take plenty of that – may seem like a retrograde step, but at least it brings the responsibility back on human shoulders.

How sad it is though, that the incidents of arson that have plagued our heathlands have reached a level where money has to be spent on this kind of protection.

This week’s major fire at Studland devastated 50 acres of land and it could take 30 years for it to recover.

That may not have been down to arson and often it can be a mix of bad luck and stupidity rather than recklessness and intent, but I’m sure our firefighters are too used to dealing with these kind of incidents to believe that the benefit of the doubt can be given in most cases.

As a parent, I have always preached the dangers of fire.

The parents of those responsible for any of these fires should start thinking what they could and should have done.