Army helping to quell Moors blaze
66,040,229 million people living in the country at the end of June last year.
Over the 12 months to the middle of 2017, the inhabitants increased by 0.6%, the lowest growth rate since mid-2004. HOMEBASE has said it is cutting more than 300 jobs at its support centre in Milton Keynes.
Homebase, which was bought by Australian conglomerate Wesfarmers for £340 million in 2016, is being sold to retail restructuring firm Hilco for £1.
As part of the deal, a total of 24 stores that were trading as Bunnings, the Wesfarmers’ brand, will convert back to the Homebase fascia.
Chief executive Damian McGloughlin said: “We have not taken this decision lightly.” BRITAIN enjoyed its hottest temperature of the year for the fourth day in a row this week, when the mercury hit 32.6C (90F) in Porthmadog, in Wales
While the heatwave is set to continue, yesterday was likely to see the end of the steadily increasing temperatures, the Met Office said. This is also the first time in five years that temperatures have hit 30C (86F) in all four nations of the UK.
Easterly winds will bring temperatures down slightly, but the weekend and into the early part of next week promises to remain sunny and warm said meteorologist Bonnie Diamond, who FIRE chiefs battling “apocalyptic” wildfires on the Pennine moors say there has been a “significant improvement” as the Army began to help.
Scottish soldiers from the 100-strong A Company of the 4th Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland, known as the Highlanders, have now joined more than 100 firefighters who have been battling the blaze since Sunday.
A major incident has been declared, with around 40 homes evacuated on Tuesday as seven square miles of Saddleworth Moor has gone up in flames, blanketing the Greater Manchester region and beyond in smoke and ash.
Tony Hunter, assistant chief fire officer of Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS), said they have used high-tech equipment, helicopters dropping water and backbreaking work using paddles to beat out the flames.
He said there had been a “significant effect” on the blaze in the past 24 hours and work was continuing with the help of the Army.
“We have made significant improvements, but I would put an air of caution described a forecast earlier in the week for thunderstorms as looking “less likely”.
“It’s staying sunny and warm and dry for most (into next week),” she said.
“There is a small risk of seeing some showers developing in the far southwest, but otherwise it will be dry.” there though, we had a similar occasion on Wednesday where we thought we were on top of it and it flared up.”
Major Phil Morgan, commanding the Army detachment, said: “We meet every challenge and commit 100% in what we do.
“Currently we have broken our boys down into various locations and we are beating the fire with paddles and we are supporting them by moving equipment, we are putting water on the fires and we are doing everything we can to stop this fire.”
Mr Hunter cautioned that, while the fire was now “contained and under control”, he said “things can develop” and if the wind blows the flames back on to the moors it will act as a “fuel source” for the fire. He
The Met Office’s heathealth watch alert remains at level two, meaning social and healthcare services are at the ready to reduce harm from a potential heatwave.
Public Health England has issued a warning saying the extreme heat and rising temperatures may pose a risk to the most vulnerable. said the operation could last for weeks before the fire burns itself out, though the Army deployment is for an initial 48 hours.
Mr Hunter said a good downpour of rain was needed to saturate the dry ground and vegetation – but none is forecast for days as the heatwave continues.
Dave Saxon, director of operations at Tameside Council, said the local authority was monitoring air quality, which had improved yesterday, and there had as yet been no increase in GP appointments or attendance at A&E.
Fire chiefs say they are “not confident” of finding out how the fire began, given the size of the blaze, but there was no evidence it had been started by BBQs or off-road bikers.
Around 10 fire engines, along with specialist vehicles, helicopters, mountain rescue and Army trucks, are now deployed at Swineshaw Reservoir, Stalybridge, as an operating base. If the fire worsens, GMFRS will be able to call out an RAF Chinook helicopter, based at RAF Odiham. It would be used to lift a high-volume pump, capable of pumping 7,000 litres of water a minute, on to the moors.