Chinese lanterns and barbecues banned in bid to stop wildfires in High Peak

A Public Space Protection Order has been approved by High Peak Borough Council, covering land owned by the authority and all parts of the borough that lie within the boundary of the Peak District National Park that are open to the air and to which the public have access.

David Smith, Principal Officer for Communities and Partnerships, said: “This order is coming into force at a good time as Covid restrictions start to ease and we can expect more people to visit the High Peak.

"Sadly, in recent days, firefighters have been called on to tackle blazes in our area so this action is necessary to help try and reduce incidents.

“The majority of fires are caused by careless, thoughtless behaviour and are, therefore, preventable.

“We hope that as well as stopping fires, this order will help to raise awareness of the dangers so that people who visit these locations to enjoy the landscapes think twice about their actions and how to play their part in protecting our natural environment.”

Firefighters from three stations tackle fire on Kinder Scout

The order is in place for a period of three years.

Firefighters have dealt with a series of moorland blazes in the area over the last few weeks.

On Monday afternoon, crews from three stations dealt with a deep seated fire in peat on Kinder Scout.

Teams from New Mills, Glossop and Hathersage were helped by colleagues from both Buxton and Kinder Mountain Rescue Teams, as well as National Trust wardens, gamekeepers and farmers.

Last Thursday, crews from Glossop attended a moorland fire at Hollybank Quarry in Tintwistle – the fourth fire at the same location within a three week period.

Firefighters have also attended fires at Birchen Edge in Baslow, Woodhead Tunnel in Glossop and at Rushup Edge near Chapel-en-le-Frith in recent weeks.

Many of the fires are thought to have been caused by disposable barbecues and urgent pleas have been issued by Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service and the Peak District National Park to visitors to look after the countryside.

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