UK countryside sees spate of raging wildfires over holiday weekend
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Pastor Dale Morgan
May 1, 2011, 1:27:16 PM5/1/11
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Perilous Times and Climate Change
1 May 2011 Last updated at 12:04 ET
UK countryside sees spate of raging wildfires over holiday weekend
Moorland fire Land on both Anglezarke Moor and Wheeton Moor caught light on Friday
BBC - The bank holiday weekend has seen firefighters across the UK trying to prevent a spate of countryside fires from getting out of control.
Areas in north west England, Scottish Highlands, County Down in Northern Ireland and across Wales are ablaze.
The recent dry weather has been blamed for the spread of the fires.
The Met Office said the current weather would continue, and that it was advising firefighters on the wind strength and direction.
Heath fires spread incredibly quickly, killing wildlife and destroying buildings.
The flames travel through grass, bushes, trees, gorse, undergrowth and farm crops.
On Sunday, firefighters were continuing their three day battle to control a fire on moorland in east Lancashire.
The blaze is covering several square miles between Bolton and Chorley, on both Anglezarke Moor and Wheeton Moor.
A second fire broke out on peat at Whitemoss Horticulture at Simonswood near Ormskirk, west Lancashire, on Saturday.
In Scotland, fire crews have had to use a helicopter to drop water on a heath fire that is threatening properties near Torridon.
Two other heath fires, in Dundonald and Lochaber, have also broken out.
In Cumbria, moorland covering about 50 acres (20 hectares) was ablaze.
'Biggest ever' fire
In Northern Ireland, people have been warned not to walk or camp on the Mournes as firefighters attempt to contain several "ferocious" gorse fires, which are believed to have been "deliberately" started.
John Allen of Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue said of the country's 68 fire stations, 60 were involved in the fight against gorse fires.
He said the fire in the Mournes was one of the "biggest ever seen here" and they did not have the resources to put it out and maintain an acceptable level of cover elsewhere in Northern Ireland.
Instead they hope it will burn itself out and are hoping for rain.
And in Wales, firefighters have been tackling a large forest fire in Gwynedd, and South Wales Fire and Rescue dealt with seven grassland fires on Saturday.
Glyn Jones from North Wales Fire and Rescue Service said: "We would urge anyone enjoying the countryside over this bank holiday weekend to take great care.
"There has been little rain recently and the ground is very dry so it is extremely easy to cause a fire with a discarded cigarette or an unattended campfire for example.
"Fires like this place a tremendous pressure on our resources for considerable lengths of time, put the safety of firefighters and the public at risk and cause considerable damage to the environment."
Natural England said this time of year was always particularly bad.
A spokesman said once a fire started, it could spread quickly in upland and heath areas as they were very dry, causing distress for nestling birds.
A spokesman for the Met Office said 2011 had been the driest March for 50 years and that April was looking to follow suit.
He said current winds would ease off later on Sunday evening, which would help to calm the fires down.
1 May 2011 Last updated at 12:04 ET
UK countryside sees spate of raging wildfires over holiday weekend
Moorland fire Land on both Anglezarke Moor and Wheeton Moor caught light on Friday
BBC - The bank holiday weekend has seen firefighters across the UK trying to prevent a spate of countryside fires from getting out of control.
Areas in north west England, Scottish Highlands, County Down in Northern Ireland and across Wales are ablaze.
The recent dry weather has been blamed for the spread of the fires.
The Met Office said the current weather would continue, and that it was advising firefighters on the wind strength and direction.
Heath fires spread incredibly quickly, killing wildlife and destroying buildings.
The flames travel through grass, bushes, trees, gorse, undergrowth and farm crops.
On Sunday, firefighters were continuing their three day battle to control a fire on moorland in east Lancashire.
The blaze is covering several square miles between Bolton and Chorley, on both Anglezarke Moor and Wheeton Moor.
A second fire broke out on peat at Whitemoss Horticulture at Simonswood near Ormskirk, west Lancashire, on Saturday.
In Scotland, fire crews have had to use a helicopter to drop water on a heath fire that is threatening properties near Torridon.
Two other heath fires, in Dundonald and Lochaber, have also broken out.
In Cumbria, moorland covering about 50 acres (20 hectares) was ablaze.
'Biggest ever' fire
In Northern Ireland, people have been warned not to walk or camp on the Mournes as firefighters attempt to contain several "ferocious" gorse fires, which are believed to have been "deliberately" started.
John Allen of Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue said of the country's 68 fire stations, 60 were involved in the fight against gorse fires.
He said the fire in the Mournes was one of the "biggest ever seen here" and they did not have the resources to put it out and maintain an acceptable level of cover elsewhere in Northern Ireland.
Instead they hope it will burn itself out and are hoping for rain.
And in Wales, firefighters have been tackling a large forest fire in Gwynedd, and South Wales Fire and Rescue dealt with seven grassland fires on Saturday.
Glyn Jones from North Wales Fire and Rescue Service said: "We would urge anyone enjoying the countryside over this bank holiday weekend to take great care.
"There has been little rain recently and the ground is very dry so it is extremely easy to cause a fire with a discarded cigarette or an unattended campfire for example.
"Fires like this place a tremendous pressure on our resources for considerable lengths of time, put the safety of firefighters and the public at risk and cause considerable damage to the environment."
Natural England said this time of year was always particularly bad.
A spokesman said once a fire started, it could spread quickly in upland and heath areas as they were very dry, causing distress for nestling birds.
A spokesman for the Met Office said 2011 had been the driest March for 50 years and that April was looking to follow suit.
He said current winds would ease off later on Sunday evening, which would help to calm the fires down.
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