"They Asked Us for a Lighter" - Firefighters Shocked as Campfires Found Near Wildfire Site |
Just days after crews spent five days bringing the Snake Pass moorland blaze under control, rangers discovered six illegal campfires near Ladybower Reservoir, and one visitor asked fire crews for a light. |
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The ink had barely dried on the Snake Pass wildfire story when the behaviour of some visitors to the Peak District left emergency services and rangers shaking their heads in disbelief. Crews from Glossop Fire Station returned to the scene on Wednesday 7th May as the land was formally handed back to the National Trust and were approached by a member of the public asking whether they had a lighter or match, explaining that "they were going camping and wanted a fire."
A spokesperson for Glossop Fire Station said the team were "shocked" to be asked, adding that the individual was educated on wildfires and what crews had been dealing with in the area. "Wildfires not only destroy our beautiful countryside, they destroy vital habitat for our wildlife," the statement read. "They are labour intensive and take vital emergency services away from being available to respond to other emergencies."
The incident was not an isolated one. Rangers for Severn Trent discovered six sites near Ladybower Reservoir, just a few miles from the Snake Pass fire, where visitors had built rough hearths or simply set light to wood on the grass over the Bank Holiday weekend. Fires and camping are banned throughout the Upper Derwent Valley, and rangers warned that any fire lit in the area could burn underground for weeks, damaging root systems and sending embers across to surrounding moorland.
Dan Taberner from Severn Trent said: "We want everyone to be able to enjoy the beauty of the Upper Derwent reservoirs, but it's really important people understand the very real risk that barbecues and small fires can pose. With the recent dry weather, the risk of wildfires is much higher."
Mark King, station manager and joint wildfire lead for Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service, added a direct appeal to visitors: "Protecting our moorland is a shared responsibility. With warmer weather forecast to continue, I urge everyone to please act responsibly and help us protect these landscapes."
The Snake Pass fire, which closed the A57 and affected 340 hectares of moorland, an area equivalent to nearly 480 football pitches, took five days and crews from four counties to bring under control. The message from those who fought it could not be clearer: no barbecues, no open fires, no exceptions.
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