Fire crews prepare for upcoming wildfire season

Firefighters from a number of regions came together for the exercise near Sheffield

Specialist fire crews have teamed up for a major training exercise in the Peak District to prepare for the increased risk of wildfires during the spring and summer.

Firefighters from South Yorkshire, Derbyshire and Greater Manchester met at Lady Cannings Plantation near Burbage Moor, Sheffield, on Monday for the exercise.

The moor was the scene of a large wildfire last May which could be seen for miles around and whose cause was eventually traced back to a disposable barbecue.

The new exercise was seen as an opportunity for different agencies to swap intelligence and review wildfire strategies.

'Damaging wildlife'

The barbecue which caused the fire in May 2023 was eventually found at an area popular with tourists known as Oxstones.

Taking part in Monday's exercise, Tom Robjohns, watch manager at Lowedges green watch, said despite disposable barbecues being banned from the Peak District, people using them would always be a risk.

“People don't seem to understand they are damaging the beautiful Peak District and our local wildlife," Mr Robjohns said.

As part of the training exercise, firefighters met with members of other expert groups familiar with the local countryside who could provide vital intelligence about local wildlife and the landscape which could help when dealing with wildfires.

The blaze at Lady Cannings Plantation last May could be seen for miles around

Dany Hugill, a site manager for the National Trust and RSPB, said in recent years drones had also become a key item in the toolkit for combating wildfires and the causes of wildfires.

"It just gives you an opportunity to put an eye in the sky very quickly so you know where it is and what it's doing without immediately having to commit resources to the ground."

A South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said fire crews' advice to members of the public to help prevent wildfires on moorland was simple.

They asked people to take a picnic instead of using disposable barbecues; to avoid making campfires; to dispose of cigarettes carefully; and to take all litter home.

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