THE majority of fires or false alarms attended by fire services across Wales last year were due to grassland, woodland or crop fires.

Figures released by the Welsh Government show that Fire and Rescue Authority (FRA) attended 3,216 grassland, woodland and crop fires in 2015-16, up 23 per cent on the 2014-15 figure.

A total of 46 per cent of these fires occurred in April 2015, more than double the proportion and number in that month in 2014-15.

Met Office weather data shows this month also saw around half the amount of rainfall than in April 2014, and almost 50 per cent more hours of sunshine.

South Wales had the highest number of malicious calls relating to grassland, woodland and crop false alarms, which in turn equated to six per cent of the grassland, woodland and crop false alarms attended in the region.

South Wales Fire and Rescue Service attended more than half of the grassland, woodland and crop fires occurring in Wales each year.

In Gwent, there were 771 grassland fires with Caerphilly having the most incidents with 316.

Blaenau Gwent had the second highest number with 178 followed by Newport’s 144.

Services attended 99 similar fires in Torfaen and 34 in Monmouthshire.