Arson... possibly!

[Angel]

In the last few weeks I have seen a lot of fires. Huge areas of land on fire. The first behind Watten Hall... Then I passed a burnt-out property on the Cossie Mire... Then tonight a raging fire between Quoy Brea and the Seater landfill site... as well as another area toward Reiss...

I dont want to get paranoid but.. at 2:30am 3 weeks this friday our tool shed was found to be ablaze causing it and all its contents (about £3500 of tools) to be completly destroyed... the fire was so intense the glass melted as did all the brassware in the shed...

Your thoughts/answers/ideas would be welcome...

Angel...

[Spongeboab]

sounds to me like there's a lot of arson about in Caithness

[dragonfly]

it is the time of year for muirburns (burning back the dead heather/grasses) so a lot of the fires you are seeing in the countryside are probably to do with that - obviously not your toolshed tho

[annemarie482]

it is the time of year for muirburns (burning back the dead heather/grasses) so a lot of the fires you are seeing in the countryside are probably to do with that - obviously not your toolshed tho

yeah there were two big ones at kilmister and bower last night apparently, its that time of year.
and its certainly not uncommon for them to go out of control.

dont know about your shed though, arson, electrical fault or something, not nice all the same losing your tools.

[orkneycadian]

at 2:30am 3 weeks this friday our tool shed was found to be ablaze...

Your thoughts/answers/ideas would be welcome...

If there is the slightest suspicion of arson, would it not be the polices thoughts/answers/ideas you would be seeking? After 3 weeks, surely its now apparent if it was arson or not?

If the police are not following it up as suspicious / arson, then perhaps you have your answer!

[sids]

That burning whins and heather thing happened last year too. And I think the year before.

I fear a pattern may be emerging.

[theone]

There'll be a lot of hill fires etc from now until autumn, some planned, some not planned, and many out of control!

These happen every year, and I imagine a totally unrelated from your tool shed fire.

Arson in the town, in my opinion, is likely to be the work of kids, acting without thinking. Arson in the country, requiring transport etc is more likely to be planned.

I wouldn't rule out arson in your case, but woudn't necessarily link it with an hill fires etc.

[sids]

I don't want to be pedantic, oh no, but it's "fire raising" in Scotland, rather than "arson."

[Angel]

So we may have 'fire raisingists' in Caithness then!

Angel...

[Beat Bug]

Hope you were insured!

[sids]

So we may have 'fire raisingists' in Caithness then!

Angel...

That's people who do strange things with dried grapes.

But we could have willful fire raisers.

[neilsermk1]

That burning whins and heather thing happened last year too. And I think the year before.

I fear a pattern may be emerging.

Sids, you are correct a pattern is emerging, it has been emerging for the past 200 yrs. However i thought the season for muir burn ended on 15April. There is also a code of practce for this activity. I have included part of it below for information.

Before burning land managers are advised to identify areas exempt from burning such as sites used for nesting by legally protected birds of prey; produce a plan of where and how burning will be carried out; and ensure that staff are adequately trained and emergency plans are in place.

[groater]

you can muir burn up to 30th april ground below 450m and 15th may above 450m with written permission of the scottish executive.