PARENTS and carers have been urged to make sure their children do not have access to lighters or matches this weekend, as the fire service expects an increase in deliberate fires over the Easter period.

Station Manager (Prevention) Bob Hoskins said the number of deliberate fires between March and May last year represented more than a 100 per cent increase on the previous year (from 42 to 89), so North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service wanted to try to reduce that figure this year.

He said the fact there was no direct connection between the fires recorded during that period last year suggested each had been committed by a different person, and the service suspected school and bank holidays were a factor.

He said: “We have no reason behind that increase, couldn’t understand what had caused it, but when we’ve looked at it, it was a range of elements - bins, rubbish fires, derelict buildings - but the hotspots were in York and Harrogate.

“We’ve sent notes to schools to teach the dangers of playing with fire, how quickly it can spread and effects it can have on other people if you’re damaging property, and the unknown consequences. They need to see that at the point of setting the fire.”

Station Manager Hoskins said information provided by people at the scene suggested young people were behind many fires.

“We can’t be 100 per cent sure, obviously, but the feeling is a lot of these are by young people experimenting with fire and getting out of hand or deliberately setting fires, but as to why there was a 100 per cent increase in 2017, that’s not clear.”

He said the fire service also dealt with a number of motorcycle accidents on Bank Holidays, especially when the weather was good.

He said: “The weather has changed, and a lot of people put six months tax on their motorbikes so unfortunately it’s something we do see in this period, but I would just tell everyone to enjoy themselves but do it safely and hopefully they will have a good, safe Easter and we don’t have that call.”

Fires should be reported on 999, but information on suspected arson attacks can also be passed to North Yorkshire Police on 101.