Fire Hits Lancashire Moors

Some 20 square miles of moorland above Burnley were ablaze last night with over 100 fireman taking over six hours to bring the blaze under control.

According to this report on This Is Lancashire, a few small fires were still burning in the area this morning, but locals were apparently being reassured that the blazes now pose no threat to them.

Predictably the cause of the fire is thought to have been a discarded cigarette. The prolonged recent dry spell has left some moorland areas vulnerable and heather can, apparently, burn fiercely giving off a lot of heat.

In peaty areas the problem can be even worse with the fire smouldering underground for days after the surface blaze is extinguished. So, if you're out on the hills this weekend, be careful not to set fire to them...

Thanks to OM member Pete Morley for the tip off.

Stop Press: Pete also tells us that all rights of way in the area are open, but the open access land affected by the fire is badly burned and it may take months and a lot of rain before grasses and heather in the area grow again.