
Langdale Moor fire to last for another two weeks, fire service says
He said: "I would like to take this opportunity to praise our brilliant crews, officers, control and support staff, whose sustained effort and skills during this effort have been incredible."Mr Illsley said the fire had been contained and was no longer spreading.He said the latest challenge had been previously unexploded devices that were found on the site."Over the last eight days, approximately 16 emissions have gone off on the moor," he said.
"Since the first discovery last Wednesday, we've found more unexploded ordnance objects so we're still being very cautious and treating it like a major incident, as there may still be areas with buried emissions."Mr Illsley reiterated that people living nearby should keep their windows and doors closed, especially as smoke would still linger in the area over the next few days.He said that despite the fire being scaled down, the service was still treating it as a major incident that was being reviewed daily."I'm very hopeful we'll get to a point in the next few days where we will be monitoring the hotspots and gradually phase down our response levels, but until then we don't want to get complacent and will still treat it as a major incident," he said.
Jo Coles, Deputy Mayor of York and North Yorkshire for Policing, Fire and Crime, also thanked people working in other fire and rescue services including Humberside, West Yorkshire and Cleveland, who have offered support.She added: "Employers across our region who have released their staff to undertake on-call and volunteer firefighter duties, and the farmers and land managers who have stepped up and offered support, we're incredibly grateful for your help and support."
Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


BBC News
10 hours ago
- BBC News
Langdale Moor fire to last for another two weeks, fire service says
A moorland fire has been described as "quite unprecedented" for North Yorkshire, as the fire service predicted it would be ongoing for a further two blaze broke out on Langdale Moor, near the ballistic missile early warning base at RAF Fylingdales, on Monday 11 August and is now covering around 5 to 8 sq km.A major incident was declared last Wednesday, when there were 19 appliances at the scene, but this has since been scaled down to five appliances a day, and that number will remain there until Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service area manager Ben Illsley thanked crews for being a "constant presence on the scene" for 10 days to tackle the fire that has left many parts "completely perished". He said: "I would like to take this opportunity to praise our brilliant crews, officers, control and support staff, whose sustained effort and skills during this effort have been incredible."Mr Illsley said the fire had been contained and was no longer said the latest challenge had been previously unexploded devices that were found on the site."Over the last eight days, approximately 16 emissions have gone off on the moor," he said. "Since the first discovery last Wednesday, we've found more unexploded ordnance objects so we're still being very cautious and treating it like a major incident, as there may still be areas with buried emissions."Mr Illsley reiterated that people living nearby should keep their windows and doors closed, especially as smoke would still linger in the area over the next few said that despite the fire being scaled down, the service was still treating it as a major incident that was being reviewed daily."I'm very hopeful we'll get to a point in the next few days where we will be monitoring the hotspots and gradually phase down our response levels, but until then we don't want to get complacent and will still treat it as a major incident," he said. Jo Coles, Deputy Mayor of York and North Yorkshire for Policing, Fire and Crime, also thanked people working in other fire and rescue services including Humberside, West Yorkshire and Cleveland, who have offered added: "Employers across our region who have released their staff to undertake on-call and volunteer firefighter duties, and the farmers and land managers who have stepped up and offered support, we're incredibly grateful for your help and support." Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.


The Guardian
15 hours ago
- The Guardian
Californians brace for worst multiday heatwave of the year
Californians are bracing for the first major heatwave of the year, a multiday scorcher that could bring triple-digit temperatures, pose significant threats to public health and sharply heighten wildfire risks. After a notably cooler summer, temperatures are expected to spike across the American south-west starting on Wednesday and extending through the weekend, as severe conditions expand north along the coast into British Columbia by the end of the week. The extreme weather event will create a trio of compounding dangers, with a heightened chance of thunderstorms also predicted alongside the heat and fire risks. The National Weather Service has issued a swath of heat advisories, watches and warnings, along with red-flag alerts, warning the public to prepare. 'This dangerous level of heat will pose a threat to anyone without effective cooling and adequate hydration,' NWS forecasters said in an outlook issued on Wednesday, outlining temperature highs that could climb past 110F (43C) in the desert south-west and above 100F across southern California. Temperatures could break local daily records in Los Angeles and across Arizona and Nevada. The heat will also linger after the sun sets, offering little reprieve overnight. 'Widespread record warm overnight minimum temperatures' are possible through the west, according to climate scientist Daniel Swain, who shared an analysis of the upcoming event on his website. High night-time temperatures will add challenges to containing fires that erupt and increase the dangers for people unable to access cooling. 'This heatwave may be most notable for sustained overnight warmth in some cases,' Swain said, 'with minimum temperatures not dropping below 70-80F.' August is typically hot across this region. But for Californians who have not acclimated to high temperatures this year, the sharp shift could create health challenges. Those facing the greatest hazards will be outdoor workers, unhoused people and vulnerable populations, including children and seniors. Extreme heat, often called a 'silent killer', already ranks as the most lethal weather-related disaster in the US, and deaths are increasing. Fueled by the climate crisis, and often exacerbated by concrete cityscapes that cook when temperatures rise, heatwaves are getting longer, larger and more intense. Many areas that will be affected by this week's heat event were also already primed to burn, including across areas of Los Angeles and Ventura counties. An extreme lack of moisture across southern California this year has left hillsides parched, overgrown and prone to ignite. But the heat could further cure vegetation, setting the stage for rapid fire growth and extreme behavior, according to the NWS. 'California wildfire risk will likely reach its peak during this event between Thursday and Saturday,' Swain said. While these fires are not expected to be amplified by strong gusty winds, developing thunderstorms could add erratic breezy conditions and lightning could ignite new blazes. To prepare for the added threats, California's governor, Gavin Newsom, has pre-deployed resources into high-risk areas, including 32 fire engines, nine water tenders, nine bulldozers, five helicopters, nine hand crews, 13 dispatchers and two incident management teams. It has already been a busy year of fire across the country, and more than 44,400 blazes have ignited, roughly 16% higher than the 10-year average. But there are still months to go before the highest risks typically subside, especially in California where strong Santa Ana winds blow through the autumn months.


BBC News
21 hours ago
- BBC News
Fields destroyed as fire in Alderholt spreads
Fire crews have tackled a large fire that spread across two fire started in a grass field off Hillbury Road, Alderholt, on the Dorset/Hampshire border and rapidly spread to a second on Wednesday at about 14:30 from both counties were sent to put the fire out with people urged to avoid the area and a road closure was put in place through the early fire was brought under control by 17:30 with crews remaining into the evening to dampen down. The cause of the fire is not yet known. You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.