Firefighters are urging parents to know the warning signs of deliberate fire setting after crews attend almost 40 blazes in New Elgin.
Moray fire crews were called to 39 deliberate fires set between March and June in the south of New Elgin.
The incidents included gorse, woodland and wheelie bins being deliberately set alight.
Following several recent fire-raising incidents, officers are urging parents to know the warning signs of deliberate fire raising.
If a child comes home smelling of smoke, parents are asked to check on their whereabouts and speak to them about the dangers of starting fires.
An annual fire and rescue report shows a rise in deliberate fires across Aberdeen over the last year.
However, the fire service noticed a shift from fires involving grasslands and wooded areas in the city to outdoor structures like wheelie bins and small refuse containers.
‘Setting fires deliberately is not a fun thing to do’
Firefighters are now providing homeowners advice on the safe and responsible storage of refuse.
They will also work closely with police officers to tackle anti-social behaviour in the city.
Constable Richard Russell said: “Setting fires deliberately is not a fun thing to do, it is dangerous and destroys and damages equipment and property and can ultimately lead to a loss of life.
“In the past few weeks, we have had several incidents where cans have exploded after being thrown into fires, this behaviour is dangerous and can have devastating consequences.
“All the incidents reported to us are currently under investigation with officers working to identify those involved.
“We will continue to work with the fire service and other partners to ensure this criminal behaviour is dealt with appropriately.”
