THE Bradford district's iconic moorland landscape is under ‘extreme’ threat from wildfire.

Fifty-five incidents of wildfire have been recorded by the Fire & Rescue Service already since the start of this year and The Moorland Association warns there is a high risk of a devastating wildfire on moorland as the weather hots up.

The association says increasing number of visitors enjoying the wild open spaces of the moors, brings a greater risk of a fire breaking out, whether by accident or a deliberate act.

It adds, once started, a wildfire is incredibly difficult to tackle given the mass of vegetation in many areas, which burns readily, and lack of access to these areas for fire fighters.

Amanda Anderson, director of the Moorland Association said: “The current weather conditions in much of the north of England – dry and warm, are fire-supportive. The catastrophic wildfires we have seen in recent years have spread over huge areas, destroying precious habitat and releasing vast amounts of carbon.

“We would urge everyone to follow the Countryside Code, and never even think about lighting a fire or bringing a BBQ to a moor. The situation can get out of control in minutes.”

There have been 24 incidents of wildfire recorded in the last four days in England and 55 so far this year, including a 600-acre fire at Slaithwaite.

Last week West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service worked with partners including Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service and the National Trust in a day of action focused around wildfire training.

Crews and rangers teamed up on moorland near Slaithwaite to test new equipment, swap best practice and formulate techniques should a moorland fire occur.

West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service Wildfire Lead Officer Richard Hawley said: “Days like these working with our partners are hugely important as we can share techniques and get to grips with the latest state of the art moorland firefighting equipment.

“However as useful as exercises like these are – we hope they are not needed in practice. We want to stress to the public that moorland in West Yorkshire is subject to public spaces protection orders (PSPOs) which include a ban on moorland fires, BBQs, or fireworks.

“Lighting any fires on moorland, including any naked flame or flammable item can incur a prison sentence and a fine of up to £2500 as well as destroy precious countryside, so it’s important to be mindful about lit cigarettes too.

“Last year we launched the #BeMoorAware campaign, working with the National Trust and other partners. We encourage everyone to #BeMoorAware, and if you see a fire or someone using a BBQ on moorland – call 999 and ask for FIRE.”