Halloween fires keep first responders busy

Firefighters responded to 15 fires over the Halloween weekend, including three in the Tyne Valley area.

Tyne Valley fire Chief William Bishop said two of the fires were abandoned properties — a farmhouse in Inverness and an abandoned mobile home in Ellerslie — that tied up resources for hours.

"You could be spending your time with someone who really needs it," he said.

"Something major might have been called in and here we are fooling with something that could have been avoided."

RCMP Sgt. Craig Eveleigh said fires that are set deliberately put not only first responders in dangers, but also nearby properties and even the people who light the fires.

"Just the amount of people that are out and about and the potential for the fire to spread to nearby communities, it's just a senseless act. I know it's been going on here for years and we just don't want anybody to get hurt," he said.

"They're using some kind of accelerant, such as gasoline, to light these fires and they could become engulfed in flames themselves."

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