Where is Saddleworth Moor, what is the fire’s location and how did it start?
FIREFIGHTERS tackled a huge blaze on Saddleworth Moor as wildfires broke out across the country on the hottest winter day on record, February 26.
But where is Saddleworth Moor and how did the fire begin?
Where is Saddleworth Moor?
Saddleworth Moor is a moorland which is located in the north west of England.
It lies in the Dark Peak area of the Peak District National Park and takes its name from the local parish of Saddleworth.
The moor is more 1,312 feet above sea level.
It is famous for being the burial site of at least four of the Moors Murderers victims.
Myra Hindley and Ian Brady buried the bodies of Lesley Ann Downey, John Kilbride and Pauline Reade on the moor and stated that Keith Bennett‘s remains are there too, although they have never been found.
It was also the site of a 1949 plane crash when a DC-3 passenger aircraft came down on approach to Manchester Airport, killing 24.
How did the fire start?
On February 26, West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service confirmed there was a “large area of Moorland on fire” — with incident commander Laura Boocock calling it “one of the biggest moorland fires we’ve ever had to deal with”.
It is unknown as yet how the fire started but it broke out as temperatures soared across the UK.
The : “The top layer of the moorland is quite dried out because of the recent good weather and underneath is quite damp so it has run across the surface of dry vegetation.”
Two local fire crews were called to the blaze after it started at 7.30pm.
Station Manager Adam Greenwood said: “When crews arrived shortly before 20.00 hrs there was a large area of approximately three to four square kilometres of moorland on fire.
“It was one of the of the highest flame fronts we have seen with flames of up to two metres high and it was moving fast across the moorland.”
Specialist wildfire units were called in as approximately 30 firefighters tackled the fire.
Witnesses said the fire was so intense they could “feel the heat through the windscreen”.
Is the fire out?
West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service stated that at around 3am on February 27 the fire had died down.
However crews remained at the scene as moorland fires can easily reignite.
Station Manager Greenwood said on February 27: “The fire looks to be out however moorland fires can easily reignite so it’s important that we monitor it closely.
“We have five pumps still at the scene along with two wildlife units to tackle any hot spots that might arise as the day goes on.
“We are also working with the National Trust and the Marsden Rangers who will remain at the scene with us. We expect to be at the moors for much of the day.”
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