WIREDGOV

The Minister has reminded farmers that in Wales burning can legally only take place between 1 October and 31  March in upland areas, and between 1 November and 15 March elsewhere.

The Minister said it was crucially important for farmers in Wales to heed the message as recent figures show that in 2010-11 there were much higher instances of grassland fires than elsewhere in Great Britain.

The Minister said:

“Whilst heather and grass burning is a traditional land management tool in Wales, it can of course be dangerous and cause damage to Welsh wildlife and our environment.

“I would urge farmers to act responsibly and ensure that they do not burn out of season. I would also remind them to ensure they have a written burning plan in place, to inform local fire and rescue services before starting the burn, to ensure the weather conditions are right, and to ensure they have enough people on hand to control the fire.

“By heeding this advice we can ensure that agricultural burnings are as safe as possible, causing minimum damage to Wales’ beautiful landscape and wildlife."

Farmers can access more information about safe burning  on the Welsh Government website.