Speaking in the Assembly Chamber this week, North Wales Assembly Member Mark Isherwood highlighted the increase in fires in Wales in 2017/18 and called on the Welsh Government to raise awareness of fires caused by electricity in Wales.
Mr Isherwood raised the matter when responding to the Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Local Government and Public Services: ‘Reform of Fire and Rescue Authorities' Governance and Finance Arrangements’.
He also questioned the Cabinet Secretary over his proposed changes to Fire and Rescue Authority governance and funding arrangements, highlighting a September 2018 report from the Chief Fire Officer in North Wales to his Fire and Rescue Authority, which referred to a report submitted to the Cabinet Secretary after meetings with representatives of the three Fire Rescue Authorities and the WLGA (Welsh Local Government Association), and a September 2018 report from the Deputy Chief Officer in South Wales to her Fire and Rescue Authority, which attached a summary feedback drawn from the meetings held with the three Fire and Rescue Authorities and the WLGA stating that “several queried the lack of clear evidence and rationale for reform, feeling that perceived problems with the current system had not been clearly identified, making it difficult for them to estimate the added value that might be gained through any change”.
Speaking in the Chamber, he said:
“As you say, we are rightly proud of our Fire and Rescue Services. You state in your opening paragraph that they've worked to help reduce the number of fires and fire casualties. In fact, since 2001-02, a little bit further back than you look, they've reduced by 69 per cent.
“However, how do you respond to concern that the number of fires attended by Welsh Fire and Rescue Authorities in 2017-18 actually increased by 3 per cent, reversing that trend, with the number of secondary fires rising by 13 per cent, and grassland, woodland and crop fires by 22 per cent, and 15 fatal casualties from fires in Wales, which is actually 50 per cent higher than when 10 fire casualties in Wales were used as an argument in favour of what became the fire sprinkler legislation?
“You refer to older people being at greater risk of fire in their homes and the lessons of the Grenfell tragedy. What consideration are you giving or have you given to the Building Research Establishment report commissioned by the Deputy Prime Minister in the UK in 2002 and the follow-up report by the Welsh Government itself at the tail end of the fire sprinkler legislation, which recommended fire sprinklers in high-rise towers? It was less enthusiastic about new-build residential properties. But it appeared that no response to that was taken until after the Grenfell tragedy.”
He added:
“In a letter to me on 20 June, you said that you do not agree that older people are at particular risk of electrical fires, whether in terms of the source of fire or the cause. I believe you might have since met Electrical Safety First. I think you had a meeting scheduled with them for July. They produced figures showing that, of 1,485 reported domestic fires last year, 71 per cent of those were electrical fires and 63 per cent in the kitchen. And, in that context, what is the Welsh Government doing to raise awareness of fires caused by electricity in Wales?”