I visited Middlewick Ranges last night as the fire was coming to an end. I thanked one of the fire crews for their incredible efforts in tackling the blaze and spoke with several residents who were understandably concerned.
There are strong suspicions about who may be responsible for these fires. I've spoken with Colchester District Commander, Chief Inspector Michelle Sparks, and urged swift action to prevent further incidents. In these extremely dry conditions, fires like this pose a real threat to human life, as well as causing serious harm to wildlife and the environment.
I have every confidence that those responsible will be caught and that the police will act decisively!