North-east grass fires have cost the taxpayer more than £10,000 in recent weeks.
The shocking figures comes amid a spate of fires set at beaches and woodlands around Aberdeenshire this month.
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) is now warning the public about the effects such fires can have – including property damage and even the loss of life.
Group Manager Gordon Riddel, who manages prevention and protection for Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire and Moray, said: “The SFRS is appealing in particular to young people during school holidays to consider the consequences of deliberately setting a fire.
“We would urge parents to ensure that their children know about and understand the potentially tragic consequences deliberate fires can have, as well as the impact for responding emergency services.
“Fire setting is an offence – don’t accept it, report it.”
Mr Riddel added that each call out costs the taxpayer about £1,000.
In the last month, the fire brigade has been called out to at least 10 incidents.
Last week, about 12,000sqft of grass was destroyed at Fraserburgh beach in a fire before gorse was again set alight in Aberdeen the following day.
Mr Riddel added: “We have attended a number of incidents recently whereby fires have been started deliberately and we would urge everyone about the very real dangers of becoming trapped within wildland fires.
“Sudden changes in wind direction can have an immediate effect on how a wildland fire reacts and such incidents can be extremely unpredictable. Furthermore, they can be hazardous to firefighters who respond to these fires.
“We will continue to work with our Police Scotland colleagues to ensure each incident is fully investigated, as much intelligence is gathered – and that perpetrators are ultimately caught.”
