Frenchieboy Posted May 7, 2013 Report Share Posted May 7, 2013 (edited) Just noticed out of our window that the moors are on fire. It seems to be spreading out of control so I might put the camera on the tripod and get a few more photos later. In the mean time here is one I took while resting the camera on the window sill. This section of the mors is about 2 miles from us (As the crow flies) Edited May 7, 2013 by Frenchieboy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigman Posted May 7, 2013 Report Share Posted May 7, 2013 That's crazy mate , how'd it start? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchieboy Posted May 7, 2013 Author Report Share Posted May 7, 2013 (edited) I couldnt say how it started Bigman but it is quite dry Peat Moorland which only takes the sligtest of sparks to set it off, even the bottom of a broken bottle acting as a magnifying glass can do it. Here is another poto taken just 35 minutes after the first to show how quickly it can spread. I will keep an eye on it and see how it is later. Edited May 7, 2013 by Frenchieboy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigman Posted May 7, 2013 Report Share Posted May 7, 2013 That's a terrible thing to happen , but sure does look amazing hope the wind is blowing away from you and your neighbours Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchieboy Posted May 7, 2013 Author Report Share Posted May 7, 2013 (edited) It will not effect any properties but the biggest concern is the wildlife that will be effected. This sort of thing can have a much more devestating impact of the ground nesting birds and mamals than any amount of foxes! You can smell the smoke quite badly from our flat which is bad news as i find it difficult to sleep at nights without the bedroom window open! Edited May 7, 2013 by Frenchieboy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linny Posted May 7, 2013 Report Share Posted May 7, 2013 that looks bad reminds me of the stubble burning of years ago Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FalconFN Posted May 7, 2013 Report Share Posted May 7, 2013 It looks bad but it's not that uncommon and small fires are beneficial to many plants and animals. As FB said, it is a problem for ground nesting birds when they happen late in the spring and large uncontrolled fires can be very damaging. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchieboy Posted May 7, 2013 Author Report Share Posted May 7, 2013 (edited) The fire is still spreading. The biggest problem is that with these Peat Moors is that even though it may seem to be under control it can still burn underground for days and then restart without warning. These sort of fires can be beneficial on some cases and encourage new growth but at this time of the year it can decimate ground nesting birds nests, eggs and chicks and have a major "knock on effect" on the natural life chain in general. Here's another photo taken just a few minutes ago. Edited May 7, 2013 by Frenchieboy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the poacher Posted May 7, 2013 Report Share Posted May 7, 2013 bloody hell thats spreading quite badly frenchie .........i hope they get it under control very soon poor nesting birds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchieboy Posted May 7, 2013 Author Report Share Posted May 7, 2013 (edited) bloody hell thats spreading quite badly frenchie .........i hope they get it under control very soon poor nesting birds Yes it does tend to spread quite quickly when the ground is as dry as it is right now. As you say, the biggest concern is for the ground nesting birds, especially the partridge which are just starting to re-establish themselves in this area! We see this sort of thing most years from our flat and it always raises concerns for the wildlife. The worst of it all is that it can (And I am not saying that thi is the case this time) be started so easily by something like a thoughtlessly discarded cigarette end or a glass bottle which should have been put in a litter bin. Edited May 7, 2013 by Frenchieboy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davyo Posted May 7, 2013 Report Share Posted May 7, 2013 Frenchi, time to get the marsh melloes out lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swiss.tony Posted May 7, 2013 Report Share Posted May 7, 2013 (edited) we have peat moors at back of thorne near us and they say it burns underground all year round the bit near us has bin on fire 6 or 7 times in my life time takes them weeks to control it its the deer that allways come off bad and ground birds Edited May 7, 2013 by swiss.tony Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lampwick Posted May 7, 2013 Report Share Posted May 7, 2013 that looks bad reminds me of the stubble burning of years ago Remember that! Hard to imagine nowadays! I wonder if anyone has images of that? I remember the ash raining from the sky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malik Posted May 7, 2013 Report Share Posted May 7, 2013 I cant believe how fast that has spread! I was just thinking, fire normally promotes new growth, which you have already said. Still a terrible thing to the wildlife though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchieboy Posted May 8, 2013 Author Report Share Posted May 8, 2013 I cant believe how fast that has spread! I was just thinking, fire normally promotes new growth, which you have already said. Still a terrible thing to the wildlife though It is surprising how fast it can spread when any peat moors are as dry as they were yesterday. You are quite right, it does promote new growth and sometimes swayling is carried out under controlled conditions for exactly this reason, but that is timed when it not going to coincide with the nesting season. As things stand now we have had some rain during the night which looks like it had dampened the ground enough to bring it under control but there is still a blanket of smoke in the air covering the moors above Lee Quarry so it is difficult to see if it is completely out. Even if it is there is a possibility that it could still be burning underground and could flare up again without warning (Exactly the same as Swiss Tony has said in his reply) - Let's hope that does not happen. One still has to wonder just how much damage has been done in those few hours that it was burning to the wildlife population!. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simon6ppc Posted May 9, 2013 Report Share Posted May 9, 2013 which moor it that pal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchieboy Posted May 9, 2013 Author Report Share Posted May 9, 2013 which moor it that pal It's all of the moors up above Lee Quarry running through to behind New Line. The fire looks to have extended over about 3 miles or so, much of which was just beyond the sky line from where I live and up near the wind farm. I am going up to a high point above Tonge Lanr shortly where I can see a fair bit of the damage that has been done and will take a photo or two from there and a few more from our front window which will give an idea of how devestating these fires can be and how much they can spread. I was bowling with a friend yesterday whose grand son is with the local fire brigade and she tells me that he was up on the moors till 5 o'clock yesterday morning! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchieboy Posted May 9, 2013 Author Report Share Posted May 9, 2013 (edited) Here are a couple of photos that I took this morning from a high vantage point. The first one I took from the same position that the original ones were taken the other evening. From the looks of it there are at least a couple of hundred acres effected, much of which is just out of view behind the sky line. Maybe not an awful lot when you think how many acres of moor land there are around here but enough to have a detrimental effect on the grond nesting birds in that area. Edited May 9, 2013 by Frenchieboy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flynny Posted May 9, 2013 Report Share Posted May 9, 2013 Frenchie, just admit it and tell the wife that you have started smoking , your not really shooting when you go out , you're going out for a quick fag ha ha ha , "Were you on the moors yesterday Mr Frenchie" ha ha ha ha ( all in jest Pete) Looks like the fire service did a good job in containing it from spreading, ATB Flynny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchieboy Posted May 9, 2013 Author Report Share Posted May 9, 2013 Frenchie, just admit it and tell the wife that you have started smoking , your not really shooting when you go out , you're going out for a quick fag ha ha ha , "Were you on the moors yesterday Mr Frenchie" ha ha ha ha ( all in jest Pete) Looks like the fire service did a good job in containing it from spreading, ATB Flynny She knows that already Flinny old mate! As it was I was up on the moors with another member in the afternoon it happened with his .308 and 17HMR and my .243, all be it in a totally different area some 4 or 5 miles away, but I'm innocent - Honest Guv it wasn't me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flynny Posted May 9, 2013 Report Share Posted May 9, 2013 It happens a lot on the moors in summer/when its dry , as you have said mate its usually discarded bottles and fag ends left by litter louts / numpties ( not you mate ha ha ha ) PS good pics mate, ATB Flynny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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