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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/jul/02/firefighters-need-support-to-tackle-lancashire-moorland-blaze-says-andy-burnham
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| Andy Burnham calls for more support to tackle Lancashire wildfires | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The government will be asked to provide more resources, potentially including air support, to tackle a huge moorland blaze in Lancashire as firefighters struggled to contain existing wildfires across Greater Manchester. | |
| The mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, said he would be asking the home secretary, Sajid Javid, to “take a closer interest” in the huge fires that ignited eight days ago. | The mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, said he would be asking the home secretary, Sajid Javid, to “take a closer interest” in the huge fires that ignited eight days ago. |
| Up to 100 firefighters from across England are tackling a blaze on Winter Hill near Bolton, while 30 miles away fire crews and military personnel are still fighting a wildfire on Saddleworth Moor. | Up to 100 firefighters from across England are tackling a blaze on Winter Hill near Bolton, while 30 miles away fire crews and military personnel are still fighting a wildfire on Saddleworth Moor. |
| Speaking after visiting firefighters at Winter Hill on Monday, Burnham said: “Firefighters have been doing a brilliant job all weekend but one of the things I take away from this visit is I think they need more support, possible air support. | Speaking after visiting firefighters at Winter Hill on Monday, Burnham said: “Firefighters have been doing a brilliant job all weekend but one of the things I take away from this visit is I think they need more support, possible air support. |
| “Later today I’ll be seeking a phone call with the home secretary to relay what I’ve seen and to ask the government to take a closer interest in what is happening on the ground here.” | “Later today I’ll be seeking a phone call with the home secretary to relay what I’ve seen and to ask the government to take a closer interest in what is happening on the ground here.” |
| On Saddleworth Moor, where a 7 sq mile fire has been raging since last Sunday, officials were considering asking the Ministry of Defence to extend the assistance of soldiers to beyond Tuesday night. | On Saddleworth Moor, where a 7 sq mile fire has been raging since last Sunday, officials were considering asking the Ministry of Defence to extend the assistance of soldiers to beyond Tuesday night. |
| Soldiers from the 4th Battalion Royal Regiment of Scotland and an RAF Chinook have been scrambled to help and drop water on areas difficult to reach on foot. | Soldiers from the 4th Battalion Royal Regiment of Scotland and an RAF Chinook have been scrambled to help and drop water on areas difficult to reach on foot. |
| An investigation into the cause of the Saddleworth blaze began on Monday as the effort of extinguishing the fire has been hampered by the blistering heat, uneven terrain and a breeze that can quickly reignite the cooling embers. | An investigation into the cause of the Saddleworth blaze began on Monday as the effort of extinguishing the fire has been hampered by the blistering heat, uneven terrain and a breeze that can quickly reignite the cooling embers. |
| Sarah Keaveny, communications officer at the incident command centre in Stalybridge, said: “We are still at the emergency stage of the incident. We are still fighting the fire and only today we have started to get a team of investigators in to start looking at that aspect of it – but it will take a while to get there.” | Sarah Keaveny, communications officer at the incident command centre in Stalybridge, said: “We are still at the emergency stage of the incident. We are still fighting the fire and only today we have started to get a team of investigators in to start looking at that aspect of it – but it will take a while to get there.” |
| Keaveny said: “The fire is contained and they are making slow progress, but it is still requiring a significant number of resources. It is just the heat, it is not on our side at all.” | Keaveny said: “The fire is contained and they are making slow progress, but it is still requiring a significant number of resources. It is just the heat, it is not on our side at all.” |
| Firefighters at the operation’s headquarters in Stalybridge fire station said more fires may be hidden in plumes in the hillsides, where the crews on the moorland may be unable to see them. | Firefighters at the operation’s headquarters in Stalybridge fire station said more fires may be hidden in plumes in the hillsides, where the crews on the moorland may be unable to see them. |
| But Keaveny said: “As far as we know of, the five sectors of the fire we are fighting are where the fires started. These are the ones that we are managing and there are no others as far as we know.” | But Keaveny said: “As far as we know of, the five sectors of the fire we are fighting are where the fires started. These are the ones that we are managing and there are no others as far as we know.” |
| The assistant county fire officer, Dave Keelan, said: “The temperature is one of the most challenging aspects for firefighters at the moment – working in fire kit with the sun beating down is really difficult and we are rotating them as much as we can. | The assistant county fire officer, Dave Keelan, said: “The temperature is one of the most challenging aspects for firefighters at the moment – working in fire kit with the sun beating down is really difficult and we are rotating them as much as we can. |
| “We don’t know the cause of the Tameside incident yet. We have a team of fire investigators doing some work on that, but I would like to urge the public to be really careful with discarded cigarettes and glass bottles.” | “We don’t know the cause of the Tameside incident yet. We have a team of fire investigators doing some work on that, but I would like to urge the public to be really careful with discarded cigarettes and glass bottles.” |
| Greater Manchester fire and rescue service issued a plea for sun cream, insect repellent, baseball caps and pairs of thick and thin socks for their crew on the moorland on Sunday night. | Greater Manchester fire and rescue service issued a plea for sun cream, insect repellent, baseball caps and pairs of thick and thin socks for their crew on the moorland on Sunday night. |
| By midday on Monday, Stalybridge fire station was full with hundreds of bottles of water, socks and sun cream as local businesses and residents answered the appeal. The fire service said: “The people of Greater Manchester have been a huge source of strength with your cooperation, patience, generous donations and positive messages.” | By midday on Monday, Stalybridge fire station was full with hundreds of bottles of water, socks and sun cream as local businesses and residents answered the appeal. The fire service said: “The people of Greater Manchester have been a huge source of strength with your cooperation, patience, generous donations and positive messages.” |
| 🙌👏 A huge thanks to everybody who has generously donated refreshments to Stalybridge and Bolton North fire stations for our crews.🍏👨🚒 If you would like to donate, we would appreciate non-perishable food items, water and energy drinks. Please drop them off between 10am-6pm | 🙌👏 A huge thanks to everybody who has generously donated refreshments to Stalybridge and Bolton North fire stations for our crews.🍏👨🚒 If you would like to donate, we would appreciate non-perishable food items, water and energy drinks. Please drop them off between 10am-6pm |
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