Toxic fears over Moors inferno
A GIANT moorlands fire was last night described as “apocalyptic” as more than 100 firefighters tackled the blaze.
The Saddleworth Moor inferno has been called the biggest blaze in living memory, having raged for three days and engulfed four square miles.
Police have declared the fire a major incident and the Army and other military forces are now expected to be drafted in to help.
By last night, the wildfire had devastated more than 2,000 acres of peat-rich land near Stalybridge, Greater Manchester.
Residents were evacuated from about 50 homes in the area.
Flames shot up to 50ft with smoke and sparks billowing across the skies, leaving plumes visible from space.
Firefighters have used choppers to drop water from the air on to areas difficult to access by foot.
Dave Keelan, director of emergency response at Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service, described conditions for firefighters as “really arduous”.
He said the fire had become embedded within the peat, which made it difficult to extinguish.
He said: “The crews are working in shifts and rotating in these conditions to extinguish the fire as quickly and as safely as they can.
“We have been liaising with a military adviser on the scene and, following those discussions, we have requested military assistance from the Ministry of Defence.
“There’s still a lot of smoke from the fire but air quality levels are being monitored regularly in different locations. Air quality is currently at a safe level and therefore residents have been let back into their homes.
“However, the advice from Public Health England remains the same – if you are in an area of smoke please try to keep windows and doors closed and keep hydrated by drinking water.”
Leon Parkes, assistant chief fire officer with Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service, added: “Clearly the challenges are enormous. We have firefighters working in really, really hot conditions. They’re doing everything they can to control that fire.
“As you can appreciate, firefighters will have fire kit on which is heavy, thick, warm – the ground is really hot, the smoke coming off the fire is thick.”
Military personnel and four-wheel drive vehicles are now expected to be drafted in to help move massive hoses across the bumpy moorland terrain.
Chinook helicopters may also be provided to transport highvelocity water pumps.
Prime Minister Theresa May said the Government was keeping the situation “under constant review”. Speaking at Prime Minister’s Questions, she paid tribute to emergency service personnel and offered her sympathy to all those affected by the blaze. Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester, also praised the local community. He said: “This has been a big intrusion in their community, but they have been very understanding and there’s a real sense of people rallying together.”
Saddleworth MP Debbie Abrahams said the impact of the fire on local communities was devastating.
She said: “Over 20 fire engines, 100 firefighters and support vehicles are at six locations. Firefighters have also been recalled for duty.
“I am so grateful for all the work of our brave firefighters, police and partner agencies who have been working throughout the night to keep the fire contained and support residents. We are indebted to them for all their hard work during this very difficult time.”
As experts warned that the high levels of pollutants could affect people’s health, residents donned face masks and respirators, with one woman in the nearby town of Mossley wearing a full face gas mask as she did her shopping. One little girl rode her bike with a headscarf tied around her face.
Pete Woodward, 43, said: “It looked like the apocalypse. There was a towering inferno of flames.”
Dave McDonald said: “It’s like being in Pompeii! All the garden furniture and cars are covered in ash. It was falling down like snow.”
Paula Tootell said: “We could see lots of flames on the hills and the whole of the hills were just red. It was bizarre, and so much smoke – you couldn’t see in front of your face at some points.”
It is not yet known what caused the blaze, but fire chiefs said they would be liaising with police after the fire was put out to investigate the cause. Farmer Chris Keyts is said to have alerted the fire brigade about the wildfire.
BRITAIN baked in temperatures higher than Kuala Lumpur yesterday as forecasters warned the heatwave will continue into next week.
Blue skies dominated nearly the entire nation, and thermometers hit 89.4F (31.9C) in Porthmadog, Gwynedd, while nearly 7,000 miles away the Malaysian capital could only manage a mere 86F.
A spokesman for the Met Office said: “The temperature seen at Porthmadog is the record so far this year.”
It was the third day running that UK temperatures had soared into the high 80s.
Today could see a possible high of 91F, said meteorologist Alex Burkill, who predicted that fine, hot weather “looks like the general theme through much of July”.
Pub chain Wetherspoons reported running out of some beers and ciders as sunny skies and the World Cup combined with a carbon dioxide shortage.
Coastal resorts also reported brisk business.
But with the extreme heat there came safety concerns.
After drowning tragedies, Surrey Police warned of the dangers of swimming in open water and the RNLI urged
Body of Boy found in lake after two-day search
those heading to the seaside to choose beaches with a lifeguard.
Fire crews have been tackling numerous open air blazes besides the vast fire on Saddleworth Moor near Manchester.
Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service reminded people that “a stray cigarette, a discarded glass bottle, or a spark from a BBQ can all cause untold devastation”.
Public Health England warned the extreme heat could pose a risk to the over65s, young children and those with health conditions.
Dr Thomas Waite of PHE said: “It’s vitally important that we keep an eye on THE body of a 13-year-old boy who drowned while swimming with friends was found by divers last night.
Ryan Evans had been missing since Monday after cooling off in Westport Lake, Staffordshire, with two friends.
The other boys, aged 12 and 13, climbed out safely but Ryan, a pupil at Haywood Academy in Stoke, was not seen again. His was friends, family and neighbours who may be at risk – and chances are we all know someone – if we are all going to stay well this summer.”
On the roads, the sweltering conditions caused Barton Swing Bridge in Salford to expand, forcing fire crews to douse the metal frame in cold water for half an hour.
Elsewhere heat cracks closed the A543 in Conwy and gritting trucks spread crushed rock dust to stop road surfaces melting.
Rail commuters in the South were already enduring chaos as train drivers arrived late to work to start up services because of taxi delays.
They suffered more misery among four lives lost already this week because of the heatwave.
On Tuesday a 17-year-old boy drowned in the River Aire in Leeds.
On Monday Edward Savage, 31, died at a lake in Merstham, Surrey, and a woman drowned swimming in the sea off Eastbourne, East Sussex. as train bosses were forced to impose speed limits due to overheating tracks.
Network Rail deployed “extreme weather action teams” to monitor “vulnerable locations” because the heat was threatening to cause rails to expand and buckle.
South Western Railway said temperatures on exposed rails were expected to reach 116F on many parts of its route this week.
Services on the London Waterloo to New Malden line are being subjected to speed restrictions from 11am each day until tomorrow.