Clampdown on illegal fires launched ahead of Bonfire Night

The Safer Hartlepool Partnership’s Arson Prevention Group which brings together representatives of Hartlepool Borough Council, Cleveland Fire Brigade and Cleveland Police, says there is a number of practical steps people can take.

These include taking in their household bins as soon as they have been emptied and removing any combustible materials from outside the boundaries of their homes.

They are also being asked to report fly-tipped rubbish to the Council so that it cannot be used to build fires. They can do this at www.hartlepool.gov.uk/fly-tipping or by calling the Council’s Fly Tip Off hotline on (01429) 523333.

Ian Harrison from Hartlepool Borough Council, who chairs the group, said: “We are aware of instances in previous years, where bins left out after collection have been stolen and used to carry combustible materials to the sites of illegal fires. On other occasions, bins themselves have been put on fires and set alight.

“Illegal fires pose a serious threat to public safety, so we would ask residents to support our efforts to clampdown on them.”

Historically, bonfires are built in the same areas of the town each year, and Council teams will be out and about removing them. However, residents are also being asked to report any they notice. They can do this by using the above link or by calling (01429) 523333.