ARMY FIGHT HELL BLAZE
Army called in as moor blaze rages
FIRECREWS battling England’s worst wildfire in years last night called in the Army to help.
More than 100 officers have fought flames at tinder-dry Saddleworth Moor near Manchester for three days.
Dozens of nearby homes were evacuated on Tuesday night and schools closed as smoke shrouded the area.
The plume was visible in satellite photos, stretching 50 miles to Liverpool.
Chris Keytes, who farms close to the moor, reported seeing 20-foot flames.
The Greater Manchester assistant chief fire officer
Dave Keelan confirmed: “We have requested military assistance from the Ministry of Defence.
“We don’t know the cause of this incident at this stage and it would be very difficult to ascertain the cause due to the extent of the damage but we will be looking into that once we have tackled the fire.
“We’ve had a great deal of support from the public and charities – people have been donating supplies and we are really grateful. However, we really need people to stay away from the scene.”
The decision to call in troops was taken after a police helicopter flew over the moor to assess the situation.
The Army will be able to call on four-wheel drive vehicles along with helicopters.
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