Moorland 'catastrophe' feared with 24 fires in last four days just as spring blooms

A "catastrophe" is feared on moorland around the region just as the first flush of spring emerges.

A symphony of skylarks can be heard, buzzards soar, and the diminishing colonies of the linnet of the north - the twite - will hopefully soon be breeding. But the sunshine also means more people on the land and experts believe the heaths and moors are under 'extreme' threat from wildfire.

Nationally there have been 24 fires in the last four days alone and earlier this month a huge blaze ripped through Dovestone Reservoir destroying a massive area of new woodland which was planted by local volunteers. An area the size two and a half football pitches was lost.

READ MORE: Devastating moorland fire at Dove Stone destroys massive area of new woodland planted by local volunteers

Firefighters were called out to the scene of the fire, around the nearby Binn Green area of the moorland, and spent hours tackling the flames. It It was the latest in a series of fires on Saddleworth Moor, with crews regularly called out to extinguish wildfires, often started by people using barbecues. In April 2021 fire crews had to tackle a blaze at the same location on the moorland in Greenfield.

Now the The Moorland Association warns there is a high risk of a devastating wildfire on moorland in the north of England, as 55 incidents of wildfire have been recorded by the Fire & Rescue Service already since the start of this year.

The increasing number of visitors enjoying the wild open spaces of the moors, brings a greater risk of a fire breaking out, whether by accident or a deliberate act. Once started, a wildfire is incredibly difficult to tackle given the mass of vegetation in many areas, which burns readily, and lack of access to these areas for