A treasured stretch of Peak District moorland has been reduced to a blackened wasteland after a massive wildfire ripped across the landscape, with exhausted crews battling around the clock to stop the flames spreading towards nearby homes. Firefighters, gamekeepers and specialist wildfire teams have been working day and night to contain the blaze near Crowden, where tinder-dry conditions and burning peat continue to fuel dangerous flare-ups. Despite making progress on the flames, those on the ground say the fire remains a major threat as smouldering peat reignites during the hottest part of the day.
Homes threatened
Richard Bailey, of the Peak District Moorland Group, said teams have been working through the night to stop the fire spreading towards Carrbrook. He said: “We are hard at it through the night until the early hours of the morning, desperately trying to prevent the right flank travelling towards Carrbrook and all the houses. “We are managing the flames but it’s the peat ignitions that are the issue when the temperature builds up from midday to 4pm.” Mr Bailey said crews had been split into dedicated day and night shifts because changing winds, extreme heat, dry vegetation and burning peat continued to reignite the fire. “We are desperately trying to prevent the fire spreading towards Carrbrook,” he added. “Multiple fire and rescue services are on the scene along with some Fire Operations Group partners.”
Huge operation underway
With the blaze continuing to spread through the moorland, emergency teams have been forced to create fire breaks using heavy machinery in an effort to slow its advance. Mr Bailey said: “It’s the last thing anyone wants to do, but the decision was made to create fuel breaks to prevent further fire creep. “This is a very serious incident which will require some bigger decisions to extinguish; hopefully these decisions can be made quickly. “We have gamekeeping teams on site tackling extreme conditions with the fire and rescue service and a few other partners.” He said neighbouring estates had come together to tackle the emergency, describing the response as vital in protecting the landscape. “Wildfire has no regard for ownership boundaries and we are blessed that our moorland estates have come together and rallied the resources when one of our moors is threatened by fire on an apocalyptic scale, such as this.”
‘Terrifying wildfire’
The fire has already crossed sections of the Pennine Way, prompting crews to bring in earth-moving machinery to create additional fuel breaks towards Swineshaw Reservoir. Mr Bailey also praised volunteers supporting the emergency response. “This is a terrifying wildfire on a huge scale,” he said. “We pray for everyone’s safety and know that this toxic wildfire smoke will have impacted millions of people over a huge distance.” The full extent of the damage to the internationally important moorland will only become clear once the fire has been fully extinguished, with crews expected to remain at the scene until the threat of further flare-ups has passed.
