FIREFIGHTERS on Teesside are battling more deliberately started fires on open ground than almost anywhere else in the country, according to new figures.

An investigation has revealed that ‘under-funded, short-staffed and ill-equipped’ fire crews across the country have had to deal with at least 25,000 grass and wildfires this summer, with more than two-thirds being linked to arson.

Soaring temperatures throughout the summer, combined with weeks without rainfall, turned large parts of the UK into a tinderbox, with fire services stretched as they attempted to keep blazes under control.

Cleveland Fire Brigade statistics show that the service tackled 513 fires involving grassland, woodland and crops from May to July. Out of those, 434 were found to have been deliberately started.

The figures for the area are seventh highest when compared against responses from 40 of 50 fire services who answered Freedom of Information requests.

They also represent the doubling in number of such fires, with crews responding to 238 incidents from May-July in 2017 compared to 513 in 2018. In North Yorkshire, figures rose from 109 to 243.

Steve Johnson from Cleveland Fire Brigade said the warm weather had contributed to the rise and said the service was working closely with the police and councils to combat arson attacks, with an action group recently being formed in response to long-running problems around Eston Hills.

Mr Johnson said: “We will continue to prevent and eventually to stop these nuisance fires and put a stop to arson once and for all.”

A Cleveland Police spokeswoman added: “Whilst some people may believe that by setting fire to an object they may not hurt anyone, arsonists do take risks which could leave someone seriously injured or kill someone.

“This type of behaviour will not be tolerated and we will continue to work with Cleveland Fire Brigade to ensure anyone committing such acts will be brought to justice.”

The Fire Brigade Union warned that fire services did not receive enough funding to respond to the stark increase in grass and wildfires.

A spokesman for the union said the growing risk represented “another strain on the dwindling resources of fire and rescue services currently experiencing severe budget cuts across the country.”

Chris Lowther, operations lead at the National Fire Chiefs Council, said the long-term impact of climate change on fire services should not be ignored.

He added: "We have seen an increase in the number of fires in recent years alongside a 21 per cent reduction in the number of wholetime firefighters since 2011. It is vital the communities fire services represent have confidence in their emergency services."

A Home Office spokesman praised the "tireless efforts" of firefighters in containing wildfires and said: "We have made sure fire and rescue services have the support and equipment required to successfully fight these types of fires."