A CONTROVERSIAL scheme to ensure traders pay to get rid of rubbish has fuelled a rise in fires across Burnley, according to a fire chief.

Station Officer Ron Keddick, from the fire reduction team at Burnley Fire Station, said dumpers who leave rubbish at derelict addresses because they won't pay to dispose of it are creating a magnet for arsonists.

Burnley is thought to have developed a "particular problem" since the Lancashire County Council cracked down on traders dumping waste at residents' tips because of the number of empty homes where illegal tippers can strike.

Last weekend fire crews were called to five rubbish fires in the back yards of empty houses in the Burnley area.

Mr Keddick said the problem has grown since the county council introduced a permit scheme last month for residents wanting to use vans at household waste disposal sites to prevent traders using them. The scheme is due to be reviewed in October.

Mr Keddick said: "There is a particular problem in Burnley because there are a lot of empty houses.

"The charge for taking a van or trailer into a tip has created a problem because people aren't prepared to pay so they are just finding an empty back yard to dump it in, where it gets torched.

"The charge is contributing, there's no two ways about that. The main fires we are getting now are empty houses and rubbish and it's a big drain on our resources."

A spokesman for LCC said: "Each year, trade waste dumped at out household waste recycling centres costs the taxpayer £1 million.

"The permit scheme was launched across the county following a 12-month trial at three sites on the Fylde coast. During this test there was no discernible increase in the amount of flytipping.

"We will be carrying out a scheduled review of the scheme in October. All comments we have received will be taken into account and changes will be made to the scheme if necessary."

A Burnley Council spokesman said: "It is illegal to flytip and we will prosecute anyone who is caught flytipping. Everybody has a duty to dispose of their rubbish and unwanted items in a proper way and the council offers a service where we take away bulky items.

"In back yards we have a team who deal with that specific issue. We have a backlog of work but we are strengthening the team and adding extra members to tackle the problem."