Rain finally brings end to moor fire
THE charred landscape of Marsden Moor can be seen for miles after the flames were finally put out by heavy rain.
Yesterday morning, West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service officially declared the major incident was over after more than two days of tackling the moorland blaze.
Torrential rain fell on the wider Huddersfield area at about 7.30pm on Tuesday, helping to finally extinguish the three-anda-half mile long stretch of burning peat and grass.
Crews remained on the moors to check no fires reignited.
A WYFRS spokesperson, said: “A huge thank you to residents for their patience during the incident and to partners, agencies and groups for their hard work.”
The massive blaze came almost exactly two years after the previous huge moor fire.
Police have questioned a man about a barbecue, which are banned, and a large used firework has also been recovered from close to the blaze.
It is not yet known if anyone will be fined or prosecuted in connection to the incident.
More than 1,000 people have signed a petition to bring in harsher penalties for causing fires on the moor.
Craig Best, Countryside Manager for the moors’ owner, the National Trust, said: “We’d like to thank everyone who worked with the National Trust to bring this fire under control. It’s been an incredible effort and our rangers are really grateful.
“At the moment we are assessing the damage to see how much precious habitat has been lost.
“We’d like to remind the public that BBQs, fires and fireworks are banned on the moor.
“This catastrophic event shows just how vulnerable our uplands are, and how a small spark can cause substantial damage. As well as the environmental impact, tens of thousands of pounds that we’ve invested into restoring the moors has been lost.“
“The local community have been incredibly supportive. The public can help us prevent future fires by donating to our Marsden Moor appeal.”