Snake Pass Wildfire Brought Under Control - But High Peak Named Most Wildfire-Vulnerable Area in England |
Fire crews from four counties tackle a blaze covering nearly a square kilometre of moorland, as new analysis highlights the exceptional fire risk facing the High Peak. |
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A major moorland wildfire that broke out near Snake Pass Summit on Thursday evening has been brought under control, with fire crews from four counties working through the night to tackle a blaze that scorched nearly one million square metres of Peak District moorland.
Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service was alerted to the fire on the evening of Thursday 1 May. At its height, nine fire crews were in attendance, supported by colleagues from Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire and South Yorkshire, alongside partners from the Peak District Fire Operations Group, including local gamekeepers, landowners, and Derby Mountain Rescue Team. Three specialist wildfire units and a helicopter were also deployed.
The A57 between Glossop and Ladybower Reservoir was closed in both directions as a "significant smoke plume" reduced visibility across the surrounding area. At its peak, 900,000 square metres nearly a square kilometre, of moorland was on fire. The road has since reopened, though crews returned to the scene on Saturday morning after a planned inspection revealed large amounts of smoke still rising from the hillside.
The Peak District Moorland Group, whose gamekeepers tackled the blaze through the night, noted that the National Gamekeepers' Organisation wildfire risk index has now been moved to red for all moorland areas in England and Wales.
The fire comes just days after new analysis by the Moorland Association placed the High Peak as the single most vulnerable constituency to wildfires in the entire country, scoring 4.5 out of 5 on the organisation's risk index, with five representing the most hazardous level. The association cited fuel load, fire weather conditions, and the rural-urban interface as key factors, and described 2025 as "by far the worst year we have had" for moorland fires.
Residents near the affected area are advised to keep windows and doors closed while any residual smoke remains.
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