P-06-1297 Stop "Controlled Burning" in Wales

This petition was submitted by Maya James, having collected a total of 604 signatures.

Text of Petition:                    

The recent Mynydd Mawr, Gwynedd, fire has highlighted the problem with so-called "controlled burning". This was lit within the allowed period (1st October to 31st March) despite recent dry weather and strong winds, and when many birds have already started nesting.

North Wales Fire Service described Mynydd Mawr as "quite devastated" by the fire. The smoke affected local residents, and the fire service described how valuable resources from as far as South Wales had to be enlisted to help.

Additional Information:

This fire covered an area of 100,000 sq m at one stage and is not an isolated incident.

Last year there were over 2000 grassfires in Wales; over 75% of these deliberately lit.

These fires cause:

-Risks to the health and safety of our fire crews, local residents and property

-Dangerous diversion and monopolisation of fire crews putting lives elsewhere at risk

-Unacceptable cost to taxpayers into the hundreds of thousands of pounds due to the high burden on fire crews

-Release of smoke and carbon at a time of a climate crisis

-Impact on nesting birds and other wildlife such as increasingly threatened adder during a biodiversity crisis. The 1st October to 31st March were colder wetter months in Wales but our climate is already changing with drier warmer weather shifting wildlife's emergence and breeding seasons. The RSPB has called for an end to upland peatland burning due to the conservation and climate concerns.

We call on the Welsh Government to stop "controlled burning" now.

Status

This petition was considered completed by the Petitions Committee at its meeting on 11/09/2023.

The Committee considered the petition and noted that despite highlighting the petitioner’s concerns to the Welsh Government, the Minister remains certain that the 2008 Regulations and Code are fit for purpose.  In light of this the Committee agreed to close the petition and thank the petitioner for highlighting concerns regarding the impact of controlled burning.

Full details of the consideration of this petition by the Committee and related documents can be seen on the Meetings tab above.

It was first considered by the Petitions Committee on 21/11/2022.

Senedd Constituency and Region

• Delyn
• North Wales

Further information

• The Petitions Committee homepage
• View all open petitions
• View all petitions the committee is currently considering
• How the petitions system works
• Petition research briefs