Marsden Moor fires: Crews from Halifax and Cleckheaton dampen down biggest moorland fires this year

Fire crews from Slaithwaite, Meltham and Rastrick also attended the fires, along with wildfire crews from Todmorden, Keighley and Skelmanthorpe who were all on hand to tackle the first blaze off Old Mount Road.

They were called at around 3.50pm to the moorland fire which measured around 1.5km by 500 metres.

Firefighters used blowers, beaters, Landrovers, Polaris and water relay to extinguish the flames. They left the incident at around 7.30pm.

Then at 7.20pm there were calls to a second fire at Wessenden Lodge, Wessenden Road in Marsden with a moorland fire measuring around 2km squared.

Crews attended along with volunteers from Mountain Rescue. Blowers and beaters were used to extinguish the fire which was watched over night to check for reignition.

Chris Bell, assistant district commander, was at the scene of both fires and said crews worked hard for hours to put out the fast-moving fires.

He said: “These are the first two big moorland fires we’ve had this year and crews went from one to the other, working hard to keep the flames under control.

“We were able to contain the first fire quite quickly, but the second one proved to be far reaching as it had started out as a number of fires, which merged into one area.

“It started to head towards Saddleworth Moor and Featherbed Moss but crews used their training and expertise to stop this large fire from spreading any further.

“Crews were up at the site again this morning, checking a couple of areas of heat and putting some water on them to make sure they are fully out.

“The rain that has started today is welcome in helping damp down any remaining hot areas.”

ADC Bell said that wildfires can develop very quickly and take hold faster than people can run – they can be started by a carelessly used BBQ or even broken glass.

Recently West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (WYFRS) launched their annual #BeMoorAware campaign, which aims to prevent wildfires and reduce the impact on communities, businesses and the environment.

Advice on helping to prevent wildfires include:

• Clear up and take your rubbish home after picnics.

• Observe all signs and notices – they are there for a reason.

• Follow the National Trust Countryside Code.

• Don’t leave glass bottles. Not only can they hurt people and animals, but they

can magnify the sun’s rays and start a fire.

• Never throw lighted cigarette ends onto the ground, or out of the window of

vehicles. Always ensure that they are completely extinguished and disposed of

responsibly.

• Never be tempted to light a fire in the countryside.

• If you see a fire, or someone using a BBQ on the moorland, call 999 and ask

for the Fire Service.

Now, more than ever, WYFRS need your help to prevent wildfires.

For more information about how you can do your part to reduce wildfire risk and protect firefighters and the community, visit https://bit.ly/3Ajz6uD