Plea for public to help prevent moorland fires

Visitors to the Peak District have been asked to do their bit to prevent wildfires after a blaze last month devastated moorland containing wildlife habitats.

The fire damaged 1 sq mile (259 hectares) of Howden Moor, to the north east of Sheffield, on Saturday 21 March and caused £30,000 worth of damage, according to the National Trust, which owns the land.

The cause of the blaze was not known, but the trust said many similar fires had been caused by people, either accidentally or deliberately, and could therefore be prevented.

The organisation called on visitors to play their part to "protect these important places".

The Howden Moor fire was brought under control in 12 hours by South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service.

Crews from Stocksbridge, Penistone and Rivelin were all involved in tackling the blaze.

They were supported by crews from Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service, as well as rangers, tenants and staff from the Eastern Moors Partnership.

However, the National Trust said major damage had been caused to vegetation, trees and fencing on the moor.

Craig Best, the National Trust's general manager in the Peak District, said: "The Howden Moor fire, along with recent wild fires across the country, are a stark reminder of how rapidly fire can spread - and the immense damage that can be caused."

Protecting "special places" like the Peak District for future generations was "paramount", he said.

"We need visitors to play their part, too, and never use barbeques or light fires within the Peak District, and always take litter home."

The trust has committed to increasing the fire resilience of its moors by restoring 19 sq miles (5,000 hectares) of peatland in the Peak District.

The work would restore healthy blanket bog, which would help to hold water on the moors and create wetter conditions across wide areas of moorland and which would be more resilient to climate change and the risk of fire, according to the trust.

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