Fire department looking for bush fire culprits

The fire department intends to visit communities where bush fires are often lit in an effort to identify those responsible.

Recently at Questelles, there was a bush fire that spanned a wide area of the mountains and came very close to a dwelling house.

SEARCHLIGHT contacted the fire department last Friday, and spoke to Assistant Superintendent(ASP) Joel James about the incident, which he said seemed deliberate.

He said from the assessment of his staff, most of the bush fires they have responded to over the dry season have been deliberately set.

He said according to information received, the fire last week in Questelles was caused by persons who are involved in illegal activities in the hills.

“We do not know, we cannot safely say what was the reason for these persons setting fires in these areas but what I can tell you…, these areas every year have been set alight,” the ASP said, while referring to Questelles.

The ASP said so far, there have been 17 fires in St Vincent for the year.

“If you would notice, in St Vincent, persons constantly setting fires, it seems as though persons have a passion for that in the dry season,” he opined. He noted that in the Grenadines, where water supply is limited, fires are rarely set.

“I have brought a team together to go out in these communities to do some investigations as to the cause of these fires, and to see if we can pinpoint some persons who may likely be the perpetrators,” he explained.

“All fires are dangerous. As long as houses are within the vicinity of these fires it is likely that they will be burnt,” James commented.

“I don’t know if people understand, there are three components that would sustain the life of a fire, number one oxygen, heat and fuel. “As long as you have wind, or more oxygen, you gonna find the fire blazing up the hills especially, because hot air rises,” he stated.