ACTION is needed to protect Swansea's fire-ravaged Kilvey Hill, residents have said.
Grass and bracken fires have singed the 630 ft hill, which overlooks St Thomas, in recent weeks. Plumes of smoke blew from its windy slopes on Monday, where 20 hectares were alight.
Kilvey Hill resident Geoff Parr said CCTV cameras should be installed on the transmitter at the top of the hill.
"They would catch a lot of people doing a lot of things," he said.
The Kilvey Hill grass fires have been just a few of the 783 that have burned in Swansea, Neath Port Talbot and Carmarthenshire in April and March. Many were started deliberately.
Mr Parr said he believed Forestry Commission Wales (FCW) should do more to create fire breaks to help halt the spread of the flames.
"Our house has never burnt in its history, but it is worrying when you see smoke and flames billowing outside," he said.
He said he contacted FCW earlier this year, concerned that his four acres of land could be vulnerable as the dry conditions escalated.
He said: "All it would take is fire breaks or controlled burning."
Mr Parr, who runs dog kennels Centre Barks Wales, claimed FCW did not come out to inspect the hill near his property. "I was fuming," he said. Mid and West Wales Fire Service officers did subsequently visit.
Mr Parr said: "The fire service asked, 'Where are all the fire breaks?' It looked like a tinder box."
Mike Phippen, who has lived on Kilvey Hill for 34 years, urged arsonists to think of the consequences.
"The smoke on Monday evening was some of the worst I have seen on the hill," he said, adding: "It takes years for trees to grow — they are gone in seconds."
Mr Phippen added: "In my opinion, the Forestry Commission have not managed the forestry well with sufficient fire breaks."
A spokesman for the FCW said: "Forestry Commission Wales staff explained to Mr Parr that it was not our policy to clear fire breaks, but added that we would be content for him to cut back some of the foliage around his property, if he so wished.
"In our experience, fire breaks are of limited effectiveness against certain types of fires, especially if the wind is blowing in the wrong direction.
"Moreover, there are over 700 miles of forest boundary in the South Wales area alone and it would be impractical to create fire breaks for this area."
richard.youle@swwmedia.co.uk
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