Crops destroyed in ‘deliberate’ fire on Hills and Hollows in Grantham

A large fire which spread quickly across fields on the Hills and Hollows above Grantham is believed to have been started deliberately.

Four fire engines attended the blaze yesterday afternoon (Wednesday), just after 4.30pm, and brought it under control, but not before hundreds of square metres of crops were destroyed by the flames.

Neighbours living in the Harrowby ward watched as the fire spread across the fields, while black smoke could be seen in the skies across the town and beyond.

Police officers and an ambulance crew also attended the scene at the end of Hall Lane, off Harrowby Lane. There were no reports of any injuries.

A Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said the control room had received “a lot of calls about this one as it’s visible for quite a distance”.

The fire destroyed an area of crops measuring 300 metres by 50 metres.

Some residents took to social media to say they believed youngsters had been setting off fireworks in the fields.

Resident Jacqui Henry said: “The fire brigade did a brilliant job and if it wasn’t for all that rain we’ve had over the last month we’d probably be packing a bag right now.”

Another neighbour, Catherine Knight, said: “My family member said he thought it was fireworks as the kids were throwing something on the ground and it was exploding and then the fire started. All I saw from my house was the smoke. I heard the sirens.”

A spokesperson for the fire service said: “Both crews from Grantham, a crew from Corby Glen and one from Sleaford attended this incident and used beaters, water backpacks and hose reels to extinguish the fire.

“The fire is believed to have been started deliberately.”

Dan Moss, area manager for prevention and protection at Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue, said wildfires were becoming more common at this time of year, even if the weather was wet, as it has been in recent weeks.

He added: “This time last year we had already started to see an increase in wildfires in fields and woodlands, which was sustained for weeks over the summer months. Although we haven’t seen quite such continued hot and dry conditions so far this year, we want to prevent fires and keep everyone as safe as possible this summer.

“Sadly, we do tend to see more deliberate incidents during the school summer holidays and we’d urge parents to know where their children and young people are, and talk to them about the dangers of deliberate fires.”

Lincolnshire Police say they are treating the incident as deliberate. A spokesperson said: “We received a call at 5.01pm on 26 July reporting a large fire at Hills and Hollows, Grantham.

“We are treating this fire as a potential arson and would encourage anyone with information to contact us on 101.”

Pete Armstrong, clerk of Londonthorpe and Harrowby Without Parish Council said: “We the parish council would remind people about starting any sort of fire/barbecues, at this time of year it is especially dangerous . Although we have had a lot of rain recently crops are nearly ready for harvest, and therefore dry, they will soon catch hold and the fire will spread quickly. I would also include smoking in as a high risk.

“From the reports I have heard it would appear that this may have been started by youngsters. If this is so it is desperately disappointing.”