By james art County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service (CDDFRS) is urging people to attend organized displays rather than having ‘backyard bonfires’.
It comes after CDDFRS reported 64 fire-related incidents and 96 anti-social behavior fires between 25 October and 7 November 2023.
Chief Fire Officer Steve Helps said: “Please don’t be one of the minority who spoil Bonfire Night for the majority this year.
“The majority of people in the area we serve are respectful and considerate and deserve to enjoy all the fun and excitement that Bonfire Night and the days leading up to it bring.
“Unfortunately, however, we are already seeing an increase in anti-social behavior and, most worryingly, attacks on our hard-working firefighters.
Since April, there have been seven separate incidents in which crews arriving at incidents have been attacked with fireworks, rocks, bottles and other missiles.
Further reports of verbal abuse and criminal damage have also been recorded since the start of the financial year.
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“Not only could they injure a firefighter by preventing them from attending a serious 999 call.
“But they can also get into trouble with our colleagues at Durham Police.”
As a precaution, CDDFRS equips its crews with body-worn cameras and all fire trucks with 360-degree video surveillance systems.
This will help identify those who are trying to harm emergency workers.
Alan Hobson, Public Safety Station Manager at CDDFRS, said: “Backyard fires are often fires without proper control or safety measures, making them potentially extremely dangerous for our crews to put out.
“They are also an environmental hazard and can be very disruptive and disruptive to neighboring residents.”
In line with CDDFRS, Durham Police and Durham County Council have also urged the public to attend organized fireworks displays to ensure community safety.
Durham County Council’s Safer Places Manager, Owen Clough, said: “Unauthorised fires can be extremely dangerous.
“They also result in hundreds of nuisance incidents for the fire service to deal with, potentially taking much-needed resources away from our communities.”