Thankfully, the fires were swiftly contained. Image from West Midlands Fire Service, posted on Twitter by @BloxwichFire.

I note from the twitter feed or the local fire service that there were two separate outbreaks of grass fire on Brownhills Common just off Chester Raod late yesterday afternoon (Sunday 8th May 2016).

We currently have 2 crews dealing with multiple seats of fire on Brownhills Common on Chester Rd North near #Chasewater

— West Midlands Fire (@WestMidsFire) May 8, 2016

Start of Summer for us & @AldridgeFire as we attended large grass fire over Brownhills. Beaters & 1 Hose reel used. pic.twitter.com/UI1OTqcbVq

— Bloxwich Fire (@bloxwichfire) May 8, 2016

Please, if you know anything at all about the morons that did this, please contact the police or Crimestoppers. Given that the deer – at the moment, they’ll be with young, and thus extra nervous – inhabit the common, any such fire brings the added danger of terrified, bolting deer. One can only imagine the possibilities.

Walkers and cyclists? Don’t smoke in these areas, please. Use a little common sense. We don’t want to see the common devastated again like it was in 1976. Cheers.

There’s a report from the Express & Star here.