Frenchieboy Posted May 1, 2011 Report Share Posted May 1, 2011 (edited) We have had a fire raging all day on the moors above where we live. This could be the farmers "swayling" (It does seem to be a bit late in the year for that around these parts) but it could also easily be an out of control moorland fire because we have had practically no real rain for over a month now and with this hot sunny weather the ground is tinder dry. Whichever it is this could be a good time to remind all shooters and the general public that do smoke to make sure that they stub their fag ends out properly rather than just throw them down. The same applies to those that are our walking or taking their family out for a picnic - It only takes a thoughtlessly disgarded glass bottle to act as a magnifying glass to start a fire in this weather, which could have devestating effects on wildlife and people. I will update if I can find out what caused the fire! Enjoy this wonderful weather but do take care! Edit: Jus as a little foot note - The area where this fire is burning I know very well as it is where I regularly (At least 3 times a week) used to "exercise" my Harris Hawk, flying her at the rabbit population! Edited May 1, 2011 by Frenchieboy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turbo33 Posted May 1, 2011 Report Share Posted May 1, 2011 (edited) Had several small ones round here Frenchie, few picks here of the last biggy a couple of years ago. Utter devastation over an SSSI and it "ate" a fire engine!!! Edited May 1, 2011 by turbo33 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon R Posted May 1, 2011 Report Share Posted May 1, 2011 A fair sized fire outside Bolton, on Belmont Moor. Helicopters picking up water from nearby reservoirs and dropping it on the fire. Far too little - 23 Fire Engines deployed. It's been going on for a few days. http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/9002256.Fire_crews_stretched_by_Belmont_moor_blaze/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turbo33 Posted May 1, 2011 Report Share Posted May 1, 2011 And another...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hushpower Posted May 1, 2011 Report Share Posted May 1, 2011 Spot on there frenchie,the moors here are tinder dry here in the south peaks. agood moorland keeper friend has had water tanks full for the last two weeks so he can be off asap to any fire on his moor. The keepers are on edge round here ,with the birds on eggs as well. Unfortuatly a moor fire broke out earlier this afternoon on another local moor ,with this strong wind has well it could go either way. I was on the moors earlier this morning and a lot of walkers out as you would exspect,it only needs one cig not put out right.people shouldnt be smoking on the moors in these dry conditions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchieboy Posted May 1, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 1, 2011 Thanks for the words of support "Hushpower" but I would like to emphasise that this is not meant as a dig at just smokers. There are other ways that fires can be "accidentally" started by ramblers, picnickers, dog walkers etc. Anyone who uses the moors in these dry conditions is equally responsible for it's safe keeping, especially at this time of the year when the ground nesting birds are at such high risk! The biggest problem is that when a fire does start in these conditions when it is fanned by the winds that we are experiencing in this area it spreads so quickly and you yourself can end up trapped. Be thoughtful and stay safe all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchieboy Posted May 1, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 1, 2011 I've just taken these couple of photos of the moors on fire from our bedroom window. The fire is about a mile and a half away (As the crow flies). These photos were taken at 8:30 tonight and the fire has now been burning for over ten and a half hours. It still appears to be spreading as is being fanned by the wind! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davie mac Posted May 1, 2011 Report Share Posted May 1, 2011 Their seems to be fires all over Frenchieboy,don't know about England but over here,a lot of them are started deliberately. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-foyle-west-13250486 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Dog Posted May 1, 2011 Report Share Posted May 1, 2011 Their seems to be fires all over Frenchieboy,don't know about England but over here,a lot of them are started deliberately. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-foyle-west-13250486 Yep DM, it seems a good laugh for some of AHoles over here. Dont know the greef they cause. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
highseas Posted May 1, 2011 Report Share Posted May 1, 2011 makes the one hear seem small lol ask tam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchieboy Posted May 2, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 2, 2011 makes the one hear seem small lol ask tam Yes I know that and I sympathise with anyone that has fires started deliberately or accidentally in their area but when it is so close to your home on an area that you know and love so well it is still very concerning! Any "wild fire" (Large or small)has to raise concern, especially when there is a chance that it might have been started deliberately. The people who start these fires are just too stupid or thoughtless to realise what damage they are doing to the wild life in the area, especially the ground nesting birds at this time of the year. When I see any "wild fires" like this it always makes me think of my family members out in Australia - Two of them (A Nephew and a Neice) are Fire Fighters and are forever having to risk their lives trying to control fires that have been started deliberately (Especially out in the "Outback" by idiots with no sence who don't realise how many lives or how many properties they might be putting at risk. These idiots that start these fires really do want locking up! P.S. There are still a few traces of smoke that can be seen in the area this morning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ST3V3 Posted May 2, 2011 Report Share Posted May 2, 2011 work is closed for the day compliments of the poly recycling plant behind it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sako751sg Posted May 2, 2011 Report Share Posted May 2, 2011 They are all over the place the now and with the weather are taking a fair bit of stopping fella. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deputy dog Posted May 2, 2011 Report Share Posted May 2, 2011 Unfortunately Frenchie mate, its an all to common scene during the summer months where i live. Being in the South Wales valleys our towns are built in mountainous areas and every year with out fail, if its dry for a week or so, some idiot set fire to the ferns an dry grass on the side of the mountains. And to be honest its not youngsters doing it for cheap thrill, its grown men walking along an just lighting the grass an walking off. The mountains are literally scarred with burn marks of various sizes and it takes a few months for the new growth to cover them all, and they do look unsightly when gazing out of your kitchen window. The man hours wasted in our area by the fire brigade being called out to these mountain fires, is unbelieveable. the poor **** have a right hard time humping up an down the mountains trying to put them out. And every time i see them i think they could be tackling a more serious life threatening fire, instead of beating grass fire out which some little **** has started. But there again what can any one do about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reggiegun Posted May 2, 2011 Report Share Posted May 2, 2011 Hi Frenchie, Fire must be really bad, just watching ITV news now and its on, fireman carrying water. Reggiegun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tam Posted May 2, 2011 Report Share Posted May 2, 2011 makes the one hear seem small lol ask tam Just thought The latest Heather burning date used to be mid April - have they changed it If not there were a fair few fires burning between Perth & Dunblane :blink: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hushpower Posted May 2, 2011 Report Share Posted May 2, 2011 One of the greatest threats to moors is chinese lanterns those irresponsible people in my oppinion using them in these tinder dry conditions should be brought to book ,there have also been cases round here of cattle eating them and the wires and theres only one out come there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wy111 Posted May 2, 2011 Report Share Posted May 2, 2011 We've had fire watch posters out for weeks, with the dry weather, but luckily seem ok. Any moor fires have to be reported PDQ as heather burning has long stopped. Last year, was going out lamping, about 11 ish , when spotted a small blaze. 999 on mobile and waited to guide to local lads to access where it was................ruddy camper van had a BBQ and threw to the disposable coals away and had set a 1 acre patch afire(T..ts were asleep by then). Luckily, very easy contained, as no wind Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
left & right Posted May 5, 2011 Report Share Posted May 5, 2011 Bad times Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchieboy Posted May 6, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 6, 2011 It's Friday morning and thankfully we have had a sprinkling of rain at throughout yesterday evening and last night that has put paid to the fires that have been burning for about a week now. It started to rain yesterday evening at about 6:00 (Bl00dy typical as I had a bowls match to play at 7:00, which I got hammered in losing 21 - 9, not to worry too much as I played another yesterday afternoon and won it) The rain has continued throughout the night, only light rain but enough to kill the fires off and dampen the tinder dry ground! It seems that there were many areas of Lancashire moor land that was effected by these fires that were spreading rapidly because of the winds fanning them, the situation even made the national news! I know that there were other areas effected by this problem and I sympathise, especially for the fire fighters that had so much of their time taken up fighting them when they could have been dealing with other "emergencies" - I raise my hat to the fire fighters throughout the conntry, they have done a stirling job! Even though all of the fires are out now I can not bring myself to say "All's well that ends well" because of the damage they have done to the moors - Not just to the flora and fauna but to all of the natural wild life and especially to the ground nesting birds, we have had many hundreds of acres destroyed - The ground might well recover very quickly but I fear it will take a couple of years for the wild life to make a recovery. No-one knows if these fires throughout the countries moor lands were accidental or started deliberately and we all know that they could have been started by something as simple and innocent looking as a chinese lantern, a thoughtlessly discarded cigarete end or even a glass bottle that could have acted as a mignifying glass, It doesn't make any difference really, the fact is that they started some how or other and the damage has been done. All we can do is to try to be a little more vigilant in these far and few between dry hot sunny spells and try to watch over and protect our surroundings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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