There have been about 50 grass fires in the industrial area of Cape Breton in the last 24 hours, fire officials report.

"We have had lots of grass fires that will burn siding on a barn or siding on a house if you don't get there soon enough, and the siding can indeed turn into a structure fire," North Sydney fire Chief Lloyd MacIntosh said Thursday.

Last year, there were hundreds of grass fires in North Sydney alone, which is protected by a volunteer fire department and that consumes a lot of time for its 30 firefighters, MacIntosh said.

It also means splitting resources and makes fighting possibly life-threatening fires a lot more difficult.

Residents say careless burning is part of the problem, but they believe kids are likely behind most of the fires and this week they're off school because of March Break.

"The teenagers are out of control and they don't care where they set the grass fire or whose homes they destroy or anything like that," said Peter Keagan.

MacIntosh said the fire department is trying to make fighting grass fires a little less of a spectacle for thrill-seeking teens, or anyone else who gets a kick out of starting them.

"Our trucks don't respond lights and sirens any more unless there is extenuating circumstances. We try to minimize the drama," he said. "A lot of the kids seem to appreciate the fire truck with lights and sirens and things, and we now respond without. That seems to have helped."

Local fire departments have also been in the schools recently warning students of the dangers and impact of starting fires.