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Wildfire spate leads to West Yorkshire awareness scheme

WYFRS Moorland fireWYFRS
The Be Moor Aware campaign is to coincide with the start of the school summer holidays

The fire service has dealt with more large-scale wildfires in West Yorkshire in the last year than in the previous four years combined.

West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (WYFRS) have needed four or more fire engines to fight 10 wildfires in 2018-2019.

It only dealt with one the previous year and five in 2016-2017.

The sudden increase has led to the launch of an awareness campaign as the school summer holidays begin.

The largest of the recent moorland fires was a blaze on Ilkley Moor over Easter weekend, with 23 fire engines having to attend.

PA Media Helicopter in IlkleyPA Media
Helicopters were used to drop water on the Ilkley Moor fire over the Easter weekend

Crews were borrowed from across the region to fight the fire, which started on 20 April and took three days to put out.

WYFRS said the recent moorland fires in West Yorkshire have caused "devastation to wildlife" and posed a "potential threat to life and property".

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Be Moor Aware campaign

  • Take your rubbish home after picnics
  • Observe all signs and notices
  • Follow the Countryside Code
  • Never be tempted to light a fire in the countryside - including barbeques
  • Never throw lighted cigarette ends onto the ground or out of the window of vehicles
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On 26 February, fire crews in Marsden fought one of the largest moorland fires the service had ever dealt as the UK broke the record for the warmest winter day.

Chris Kirkby, WYFRS area manager, said: "Some of the fires have been deliberate, which we utterly condemn - but most have been accidental and simply due to people being careless when out and about."

"Just one family barbecue can start a fire which destroys hundreds of hectares of beautiful moorland."

Cow and Calf rocks with banner
WYFRS unveiled a huge banner on the Cow and Calf rocks in Ilkley to launch the campaign

The fire service said it was supporting several local councils in their usage of public space protection orders (PSPO), which can ban barbeques, fires and sky lanterns on moorland.

Earlier in July, Bradford Council brought in a PSPO meaning a fixed penalty notice of up to £100 could be issued on moorland if people did not comply with "a request to extinguish and surrender such articles".

Unpaid fines could lead to a court prosecution and a further fine of up to £2,500.

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