Expert fears for local wildlife in moorland blaze

The blaze on Langdale Moor has now been burning for 18 days

A moorland fire which has been burning for 18 days is thought to have had a "quite devastating" impact on local wildlife, an expert has said.

Firefighters have been tackling the blaze, which covers about 10 sq miles (25 sq km), on Langdale Moor, between Whitby and Scarborough, since 11 August.

Dr Briony Fox, director of conservation and climate change at the North York Moors National Park Authority, said archaeological remains and peatlands would have also been heavily damaged.

"It's burned a huge area of moorland," she added.

Crews from across the country have now been mobilised to help tackle the fire and give local firefighters a rest, a spokesperson for North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (NYFRS) said.

Dr Fox said wildlife unable to move as fast as the fire's spread is likely to have suffered badly.

"We expect there's been some quite devastating impacts on insect life, mammals [and] reptiles in particular.

"We won't know the extent of that until we can get on site."

Peat bogs, which store carbon and are home to many species of birds and insects, have also suffered significant damage, she said.

"Where the fire has flashed over ecology, the plant life will recover fairly quickly, but where it's burned into the peat, that's going to take many, many decades longer.

"It will never re-establish. It will need another peat-forming episode to improve."

NYFRS has called in crews from across the country to help tackle the fire

Dr Fox said there had also been "significant damage" to areas of archaeological interest.

"One of the really important features of the North York Moors is the archaeological interest, and we know that area is rich in archaeological remains which will have been damaged by fire."

The fire has also led to the closure of part of the Coast to Coast walking route, which runs through the North York Moors National Park, during one of the busiest parts of the year.

"There's a significant amount of work to do in recovering the national park when the time comes," said Dr Fox.

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