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Army called in to help tackle Saddleworth Moor wildfire Army called in to help tackle Saddleworth Moor wildfire
(about 1 hour later)
Residents near Saddleworth Moor are hoping for a “really good downpour” as a fire that has spread across three miles of moorland continues to rage. Fire chiefs in Greater Manchester have called for army assistance as a fire that has spread across three miles of moorland continues to rage.
Theresa May told MPs the government was keeping the situation “under constant review” after police declared a major incident on the moor, on the outskirts of Greater Manchester, on Tuesday night. . Theresa May told MPs the government was keeping the situation “under constant review” after police declared a major incident in an area near Saddleworth Moor on Tuesday night.
Fire chiefs are in talks with the army to see if they can help tackle the blaze. Greater Manchester fire and rescue service’s assistant chief fire officer, Dave Keelan, said: “We have been liaising with a military adviser on the scene and following those discussions we have requested military assistance from the Ministry of Defence. On Wednesday afternoon, Greater Manchester fire and rescue confirmed that they had requested help from the army to transport high volume water pumps and fire fighters to hard-to-reach areas of moorland.
“We have been liaising with a military adviser on the scene and following those discussions we have requested military assistance from the Ministry of Defence,” said Greater Manchester fire and rescue service’s assistant chief fire officer, Dave Keelan.
“There’s still a lot of smoke from the fire but air quality levels are being monitored regularly in different locations. Air quality is currently at a safe level and therefore residents have been let back into their homes.”“There’s still a lot of smoke from the fire but air quality levels are being monitored regularly in different locations. Air quality is currently at a safe level and therefore residents have been let back into their homes.”
Thirty-four homes were evacuated in Carrbrook, Stalybridge, close to the fire, which has been burning since Sunday between Dovestones reservoir and Buckton Vale. Four schools nearby have been closed as a safety precaution. Council staff were giving out dust masks to residents on Wednesday afternoon.
Speaking on Calico Crescent, from where many families have been evacuated, Keelan said 70 firefighters were working to contain the fire. The fire started late on Sunday evening on land near to Buckton Vale, north of Stalybridge. Firefighters were soon able to put it out, but it reignited on Tuesday morning because of the high temperatures.
Whether you live in the area or work as a firefighter, police officer or emergency services worker we’d like to hear from you. How have you been affected? Around 50 homes were evacuated on Tuesday night, including 34 on Calico Crescent in Carrbrook, Stalybridge. Many had returned to their homes by Wednesday afternoon, as 100 firefighters worked to contain the blaze.
You can share your experiences by filling in this encrypted form – anonymously if you wish. Your responses will only be seen by the Guardian and we’ll feature some of your responses in our reporting. You can read terms of service here. Four nearby schools – one secondary school and a primary school – were also closed as a safety precaution.
“They are working extremely hard, as they have been for the past couple of days, in really arduous conditions in heat and smoke, trying to extinguish the fire,” he said. “At the minute we have four different areas of fire that is in the moorland and embedded within the peat, which is extremely difficult to extinguish.” Keelan said there were seven pockets of fire across the moorlands on Wednesday afternoon, up from four earlier that day, but that some were smaller fires. “We’ve seen throughout today how conditions can change in five or ten seconds when wind direction changes,” he said. “Our crews are doing an admirable job of working very hard in extreme temperatures and will continue to do that.”
Brenda Warrington, the leader of Tameside borough council, said: “We have no idea how long this situation will continue because it’s the weather conditions that will determine that. One of the things we need, and I don’t usually ask for this in this kind of weather, is a really, really good downpour, sustained for quite some time. Earlier on Wednesday, Brenda Warrington, the leader of Tameside borough council, said: “We have no idea how long this situation will continue because it’s the weather conditions that will determine that. One of the things we need, and I don’t usually ask for this in this kind of weather, is a really, really good downpour, sustained for quite some time.
“That is the only thing that will deal with this fire. The fire and rescue lads are doing everything they can to contain it and protect us but we do need mother nature to help us, quite frankly.”“That is the only thing that will deal with this fire. The fire and rescue lads are doing everything they can to contain it and protect us but we do need mother nature to help us, quite frankly.”
Greater Manchester, like much of the rest of Britain, has experienced a heatwave since last week, with temperatures forecast to reach 29C on Wednesday. Greater Manchester, like much of the rest of Britain, has experienced a heatwave since last week, with temperatures forecast to reach 29C on Wednesday. Warrington said the ground in the area was “as dry as a tinder box”.
Jonny Reynolds, the MP for Stalybridge, described the scenes on the moors as “apocalyptic” and “looking like Mordor from Lord of the Rings”.Jonny Reynolds, the MP for Stalybridge, described the scenes on the moors as “apocalyptic” and “looking like Mordor from Lord of the Rings”.
He said the fire was “on a scale much beyond what we have seen in the past. We do get moorland fires pretty regularly in Saddleworth – most years there is at least one, but this is much worse. Most people are saying it’s the worst moorland fire we’ve had in living memory.”He said the fire was “on a scale much beyond what we have seen in the past. We do get moorland fires pretty regularly in Saddleworth – most years there is at least one, but this is much worse. Most people are saying it’s the worst moorland fire we’ve had in living memory.”
On Wednesday morning the air in the streets of Carrbrook was thick with smoke and ash. Fran Maidment, 72, had been evacuated from her flat on Calico Crescent on Tuesday night but decided to return on Wednesday. “This morning I’d had enough. I’m staying here. It’s where I’m comfortable. I’ve got everything I need,” she said, adding that she had been warned she could be asked to leave again. Whether you live in the area or work as a firefighter, police officer or emergency services worker we’d like to hear from you. How have you been affected?
Maidment, who is recovering from a serious aneurysm and has difficulty breathing, was planning to stay inside with the windows closed and use an air purifier loaned to her by a neighbour. You can share your experiences by filling in this encrypted form – anonymously if you wish. Your responses will only be seen by the Guardian and we’ll feature some of your responses in our reporting. You can read terms of service here.
The fire service advised residents to keep their doors and windows closed and to avoid going out in the smoke, which it said could be an “irritant to the throat”. Keelan said the fire service was continuing to sample the air to check it was not harmful. On Wednesday morning the air in the streets of Carrbrook was thick with smoke and ash. Fran Maidment, 72, had been evacuated from her flat on Calico Crescent on Tuesday night but decided to return on Wednesday. “This morning I’d had enough. I’m staying here. It’s where I’m comfortable. I’ve got everything I need,” she said.
Maidment described being evacuated from her home as terrifying. “That’s where it started,” she said of the fire, pointing to the brow of the hill. “It went along there in hops, skips and jumps. There was nothing the fire brigade could do. It came down the hill and it got to a stage when I looked out the window and couldn’t see any of those houses across the street because the smoke was so bad.”Maidment described being evacuated from her home as terrifying. “That’s where it started,” she said of the fire, pointing to the brow of the hill. “It went along there in hops, skips and jumps. There was nothing the fire brigade could do. It came down the hill and it got to a stage when I looked out the window and couldn’t see any of those houses across the street because the smoke was so bad.”
Stephen Harrop, who also lives on Calico Crescent, said it the smell of smoke was unbearable. “Last night I went outside for a few minutes and my eyes were burning,” he said. “It smells inside the house, even with the windows shut. We had my little boy sleeping in our bedroom with us last night with the fan on.” He said his neighbours had decided to leave because they had a child with asthma. Stephen Harrop, who also lives on Calico Crescent, said it the smell of smoke was unbearable. “Last night I went outside for a few minutes and my eyes were burning,” he said. “It smells inside the house, even with the windows shut. We had my little boy sleeping in our bedroom with us last night with the fan on.”
The 348 bus service that usually comes every 10 minutes to take people into Stalybridge and Ashton was not running on Wednesday morning, leaving people stranded and unable to get away from the smoke. “People just want to get out and away from it and not everyone has a car, especially the older people who live here,” said Harrop. He said his neighbours had decided to leave because they had a child with asthma.
The local council said that while those who had been evacuated on Tuesday night had found beds with friends and family, emergency shelters would open up if they were needed. The fire service advised residents to keep their doors and windows closed and to avoid going out in the smoke. Keelan said the fire service was continuing to sample the air to check it was not harmful.
The fire started late on Sunday evening on land near to Buckton Vale, north of Stalybridge. Firefighters were soon able to put it out, but it reignited on Tuesday morning because of the high temperatures. The fire service has refused to speculate about what had caused the fire. “While the moorlands are a beautiful and fantastic place for people to enjoy and have some good recreation time, we would ask people to be careful with naked flames, cigarettes, barbecues,” said Keelan.
Keelan refused to speculate about what had caused the fire, but he said: “While the moorlands are a beautiful and fantastic place for people to enjoy and have some good recreation time, we would ask people to be careful with naked flames, cigarettes, barbecues.”
Speaking from the scene on Wednesday morning, Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester, said there would be an investigation into what could be done to stop future fires from spreading. “But we’re fighting the fire, not investigating the fire at the moment,” he said. “Our priority is getting it under control. It isn’t unusual for something like this to happen, but the size and the scale of it is unlike anything we’ve seen before.”Speaking from the scene on Wednesday morning, Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester, said there would be an investigation into what could be done to stop future fires from spreading. “But we’re fighting the fire, not investigating the fire at the moment,” he said. “Our priority is getting it under control. It isn’t unusual for something like this to happen, but the size and the scale of it is unlike anything we’ve seen before.”
Huge thanks to the GM firefighters working flat out to contain this worrying situation. If you live in the area, please follow the advice. https://t.co/3Bc1FSLDLlHuge thanks to the GM firefighters working flat out to contain this worrying situation. If you live in the area, please follow the advice. https://t.co/3Bc1FSLDLl
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