Investigation under way into cause of moor fire

North Yorkshire Fire Service said the blaze on Langdale Moor was still a major incident

An investigation has begun into the cause of a major moor fire in North Yorkshire which has been burning for almost exactly a month, the fire service has said.

The blaze started at Langdale Moor, on the North York Moors near RAF Fylingdales, on 11 August and, at its height, covered nearly 10 sq miles (25 sq km).

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (NYFRS) said while the fire was "currently contained", it remained a major incident and was still at risk of reignition.

The landscape remained "highly vulnerable" and changing winds, along with the deep-seated burning and remaining heat, continued to cause flare-ups, the fire service said.

"Retaining the major incident designation enables the service to mobilise resources dynamically and adapt tactics swiftly without formal escalation processes," NYFRS said in a statement.

"This decision is based on risk, not resource availability and reflects the complexity, hazards and enduring environmental impacts of the incident."

The fire on Langdale Moor was finally contained on 27 August

NYFRS warned that "key safety concerns persist", including the increased risk of unexploded munitions within the affected area, and the North Yorkshire Local Resilience Forum Recovery Group was working with the MoD to tackle that.

Meanwhile, the scale and terrain of the area continued to present "logistical challenges, limiting safe and effective firefighting operations", the fire service said.

"Nonetheless, we are effectively dealing with all flare ups and areas needing a response.

"An investigation into the cause of the fire is also under way."

The fire service spokesperson thanked all those involved in tackling the fire, including local farmers and communities, for their "cooperation, support and resilience".

"We also want to acknowledge the exceptional efforts of our own staff. We are immensely proud of their continued commitment," they added.

Clare Pybus, from the NFU, said farmers remained deeply worried

In the meantime, the fire service asked people to adhere to safety notices and seek advice from official channels.

"We thank everyone involved for your dedication, cooperation and support during this challenging period," the spokesperson said.

Clare Pybus, group secretary for the National Farmers' Union in Whitby and Castleton, said the fire damage on the moorland was "massive" and it now reached "as far as the eye can see".

"If you look at a map and see the scale of this, they're estimating about 5,000 acres.

"It's not out and farmers are still out there and farmers are actually very worried.

"It's really windy today and they're worried the fire will pick up and spread and start again.

"They're afraid: where's it going to go next and what's the state of the damage if it goes further?"

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