Derbyshire fire service issues plea to protect Peak District from moorland fires

Since the beginning of 2022 there have been 48 significant moorland fires, with 20 occurring over the first warm weekend of 2022. One of these fires took place in Derbyshire at Tintwistle Low Moor on Saturday March 19.

Wild Fire Lead for Derbyshire Fire & Rescue Service, Station Manager Mark King, said: “With the arrival of the warmer weather that is predicted to continue through April, we are already seeing an increase in significant wild fires so we must act to protect our countryside and moorland across the Peak District.

“Fire can spread rapidly over dry grasses and through deep seated peat bogs, meaning firefighters are tied up for prolonged periods of time with the potential to cause a knock-on delay in responding to other life risk incidents across the county.

“On Saturday evening on-call fire crews from Glossop, Chapel-en-le-Frith and Whaley Bridge were working for over two hours, using beaters, and forced air extinguishers to contain, control and extinguish the fire on Tintwistle Low Moor.

“In addition to the resources that are committed to tackling such fires, moorland fires cause untold damage to the wildlife and fragile ecosystems, so we all need to take action to prevent such fires.”

Tips on how to prevent a wild fire:

*Never have a BBQs in open countryside/moorland. Public Space Protection Orders prohibiting their use are in place in many areas across Derbyshire.

*Discard all rubbish, including glass bottles in bins provided, or take it home!

*Do not light campfires!

*Ensure cigarettes are extinguished and discarded responsibly.

*Do not use Sky/Chinese Lanterns

*What to do if you see a fire in the countryside

*If you spot an uncontrolled fire in the open countryside, or you see large volumes of smoke call 999, giving as much detail about the fire’s location as possible. Do not put yourself at any risk by tackling a fire.

Last year firefighters tackled a number of moorland fires in and around the High Peak, including a large fire at Rushup Edge.