Saddleworth Moor on fire! (Pips)

A sad week for me as seven square miles of my local favourite walking area is devastated by fire. Almost a week later the deep peat still smoulders as not only our fire-fighters try to fight the blaze but the army and RAF too. The flames (as can be seen in the PIPs) came to within meters of local housing and schools and many farms had to evacuate their animals as well as the sheep off the moor. In an area that I have spied Arctic hares, one wonders how the wildlife copes with this. Since yesterday another area just 30 miles north of here has caught alight in this unprecedented dry heat-wave. This taken from my bedroom window. See PiPs
Wildlife Impact: www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-44643827

Nouchetdu38, Colin Ashcroft, Andy Rodker, Marije Aguillo and 13 other people have particularly liked this photo

Latest comments - All (32)

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Andy Rodker ^club

At least I can put a visible location to you now. Herb!
But what a tragedy.
I have seen and experienced many such fires on the moors of West Penwith in Cornwall. The vegetation recovers completely in about 4-5 years but the embers can still smoulder underground for months and re-ignite without warning and the fire can get going again. The moors will need careful watching for a long time I think!
I have been following this with Colin Ashcroft. Not sure how I was unaware of your uploads!
,

6 years ago.

Herb Riddle ^club has replied

(see the discussion)

Hello Gudrun, more than two weeks now past since the start of these fires and I can still smell the smoke in my bedroom. I suspect that the embers will still be red for some weeks to come as certainly no rain forecast over the next few weeks at all. Glad you found my photos of interest.
Regards, Herb

6 years ago.

Herb Riddle ^club has replied

(see the discussion)

Hi Andy, I thought you would have known my exact location from my many photos taken nearby by now but... Ah yes, anywhere that such moorland exist is prone to these fires but they have been rare now for some years of continual wet weather. Cornwall is still getting more rain than us presently. You are right about the omni-present reality of the whole thing re-igniting again. I still see a wisp of smoke over the tops here and smell the peat smoke in our house. Have looked up Collins gallery here.
ps - for some time I knew that I was missing out on my Ipernity acquaintances/friends new uploads and comments to me as well as replies but I now have found that I can ask for daily news from Ipernity (instead of the monthly ones I used to get) and if I scroll down, all is revealed. Of course, it helps to be retired and have time to go through all that. - .
Cheers, Herb

6 years ago. Edited 6 years ago.

Colin Ashcroft ^club

Thanks for the contact Herb. This is an excellent record of events. We can still smell the smoke from this fire when the wind blows from Arnfield and the Fire Service are still there in numbers. I drove to the Lake District on 30/6 and saw the Winter Hill fire at its worst as well. Thanks to Andy Rodker for linking us up

6 years ago.

Herb Riddle ^club has replied

(see the discussion)

My pleasure Colin. I don't have many local contacts here on Ipernity and so it is good to get another slant on local views. Yes, I too drove past Winter Hill last Sunday and again on Wednesday and the smoke was still a nuisance. Fortunately, as you will be aware, the local Saddleworth Moors fire is largely out but we cannot be complacent. Thanks for your visit and yes, thanks too to Andy. Herb

6 years ago.

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Saddleworth Moor on fire! (Pips)

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