AN arsonist appears to be tormenting emergency services with two more heath fires lit on the edge of Exmoor on Monday night (March 23).

It follows three areas of Anstey Rhiney Moor being set alight between Dulverton and South Molton on Friday night.

Monday’s incident saw fires on two sides of a road running across Anstey Common, near Molland, with one being driven by strong winds and stretching for more than a mile.

It forced police to close the A361 road to the west of Tiverton.

The alert was sounded shortly after 11 pm and Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue (DSFR) initially mobilised firefighters from Dulverton, Bampton, and South Molton, plus a water carrier from Barnstaple.

On arrival, the crews found there were fires on both sides of the road, with the lower side being the larger of the two, and they set to work with beaters.

But, within 15 minutes they had to request support and two further fire appliances and an all-terrain vehicle were mobilised from Wiveliscombe, Lynton, and Barnstaple, and the smaller fire was extinguished.

Shortly after midnight a second all-terrain vehicle was sent from the Middlemoor station, in Exeter.

The larger blaze had broken into multiple fire fronts and was being driven by strong winds, but after about an hour-and-a-half the firefighters had managed to put it out and crews on the all-terrain vehicles worked on damping down any hotspots.

It was not until nearly 2 am that the crews could confirm the fire was fully out.

Friday’s incident saw firefighters mobilised from Dulverton, South Molton, and Bampton, together with a supporting officer.

Devon and Cornwall Police previously warned a firelighter was on the loose after six heathland wildfires in the same area between Christmas and New Year’s Eve.

Earlier last year there were four more fires in one week.