Police are appealing for witnesses following three separate fires in North Yorkshire in the early hours of this morning (2 September).
Just after midnight a member of the public reported a fire in a field to the rear of Primrose Dene in Byram near Knottingley. Three other smaller fires were subsequently reported in the same area.
Two people were seen running from the scene and the fire service assisted police using a thermal imaging camera to try an locate any suspects but they were not found.
In a separate incident the fire service alerted police just after 3am after a farmer reported 450 bales of hay on fire in a field at Grimston Bar in York.
In a third incident, police were called at 6am to a fire in a barn at Sutton on the Forest near York in which 148 bales of hay were destroyed.
Police will be working with the fire service to establish the exact cause of the fires which are being treated as suspicious. Police will also be looking into the possibility of any links with similar incidents in other areas of the country, although at this stage it is too early to say.
Detective Sergeant Lee Boyeson of York CID said: “These are completely senseless acts which could result in devastating consequences. The offenders not only put members of the public at risk, but also put themselves in extreme danger. Not to mention the cost to the farmer and the emergency services.”
“We urge anyone who saw any suspicious activity in any of the locations or has other information to please contact us.”
Please call police on 0845 60 60 247 or, if you wish to remain anonymous, you can give information to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
