Portland Fire Service reeling after unusual increase in number of fires
PORT ANTONIO, Portland – The Portland Fire Service is reeling after a large increase in the number of fires in the parish in recent days.
Deputy Superintendent Windell Patterson, Divisional Head of the Portland Fire Service told OBSERVER ONLINE: “We have been having a number of fires over the last few days; 12 one day, 11 another day and we have not been able to check on them all but it is affecting our team. Last Thursday the team was out all night at Sherwood Forrest and the following day (Friday night) at Norwich Heights for over four hours. The wind factor is of great concern also because the time is dry and with members of the Fire Service going from fire to fire it is really a strain on our resources. One evening (Thursday), we actually spent the entire night out, the unit did not return for the entire night. Thursday night, they were out for the entire night battling fires at Mount Oakley and Sherwood Forrest; it is a strain on our resources, the wind is a challenge, the time is very dry as we haven’t got rain in a very long time and the fact that people are just going around and lighting fires apparently for no reason at all, make it very difficult for us. They just see things dry and they feel that they must just burn.”
STORY AND PHOTO BY EVERARD OWEN
