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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Belmont moorland fire: Huge grass blaze breaks out | Belmont moorland fire: Huge grass blaze breaks out |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Firefighters are tackling a large blaze near Winter Hill in Lancashire. | Firefighters are tackling a large blaze near Winter Hill in Lancashire. |
| The grass fire broke out at about 14:30 GMT in Belmont. Crews from Lancashire and Greater Manchester fire services are at the scene. | The grass fire broke out at about 14:30 GMT in Belmont. Crews from Lancashire and Greater Manchester fire services are at the scene. |
| A major fire burned for more than a month in the area during the 2018 heatwave. | A major fire burned for more than a month in the area during the 2018 heatwave. |
| On Thursday, a fire service boss said he was "astonished" by large groups gathering for barbecues on the moors amid the coronavirus outbreak. | On Thursday, a fire service boss said he was "astonished" by large groups gathering for barbecues on the moors amid the coronavirus outbreak. |
| Moorland barbecues had been banned after the huge fires in 2018, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service said. | Moorland barbecues had been banned after the huge fires in 2018, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service said. |
| Justin Johnston, chief fire officer for Lancashire, tweeted Friday's fire was "just [what] we didn't need right now". | Justin Johnston, chief fire officer for Lancashire, tweeted Friday's fire was "just [what] we didn't need right now". |
| The public have been advised to stay away from the area and residents living nearby have been advised to close windows and doors as a precaution. | |
| "The fire has burned a significant area prior to firefighters arriving at the scene and the fire is being wind driven, moving up from the blue lagoon side of the hill up the banking towards the monument on Rivington," a Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson has said. | |
| Flames approximately 6m (19ft 8in) high have been seen, they added. |