Appeal after large area of moorland damaged in fire

A fire service has urged people to take extra care when out in the countryside after a large area of moorland was damaged in a fire in Derbyshire.

Firefighters from Glossop, New Mills, Chapel-en-le-Frith and Whaley Bridge were called to the fire near Woodhead Reservoir in the Longdendale Valley at about 17:30 BST on Tuesday.

The fire affected about 18,000 sq m (193,750 sq ft) of land and Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service said recent dry weather had made such problems more likely.

The crews were supported by the Derby Mountain Rescue team and local gamekeepers as they worked through the night to extinguish the blaze, with firefighters leaving the scene at about 07:00 on Wednesday.

The fire service said there had been no indication of the most likely cause of the blaze due to the size of the area affected.

Station manager and joint wildfire lead Mark King said: "With the recent dry and warm weather, combined with strong winds, the risk of wildfires is increasing.

"Fires can start easily and spread quickly in these conditions, especially on moorland.

"We're asking people to be extra careful and follow wildfire safety advice to help reduce the risk."

The fire service urged people not to put cigarettes in bins, leave glass bottles lying around or ever use disposable barbecues in moorland.

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