Huge fire on Saddleworth Moor

[SneakyGremlins]

Not another one!

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-47381119

I seen this last night on the MEN website...is it still going strong today

Mountain rescue are saying it’s not arson and that it’s due to the heat, but I’m struggling to buy it. There have been three fires this week and they all started at night near roads...

YesBBC has just said caused by the heat, and I was left thinking WTF - because it's unseasonably warm for Feb, but nowhere near UK summer temperatures and really quite chilly on clear nights.

But whatever the cause, I hope the firefighters are OK and that it's all brought under control soon

It's been sunny but still only around 12 degrees not 30+ for a few weeks running.

I'm suspicious..

I live about half a mile from where the fire is, according to what's on line. Honestly didn't have a clue til this morning.

And yes it's been bright but still very chilly here over the last few days.

Was at a wedding up there at the weekend, it was warm but not THAT warm, I'm also suspicious.

Yep, as I said, it's really not that warm here at all. People were wearing coats/scarves yesterday and there's been a frost every morning since Sunday.

We've had warnings in the last week that the conditions are at high risk of a heath fire, so I don't think it is suspicious.
The worst one we had (nearly evacuated our estate, we'd packed bags ready) was in April.

I agree I live next to the moors there was a terrible one last year that went on for ages, usually it's idiots up there in the night

I walk up that road regularly at the weekends and there's always a fair amount of new litter at the roadside in the mornings. Empty beer cans, plastic cider bottles etc as though people are up there at night.

It has been very dry for almost a year though. We have officially been in a prolonged spell of drought since last May, now officially prolonged dry weather. Soil moisture is very low.

It’s not the only one - a quick Twitter search shows wildfires have broken out on Arthur’s Seat, in Ashdown forest in Sussex, seven on Dartmoor and one in south Wales. I guess this is what climate change looks like.

under control now apparently

Yes the soil is dry, more than its been for decades, but there had been enough rain to refill reservoirs and wells locally. Plus there has been frost on the grass every night this week, which leaves grass damp in the morning. I still don't believe that one week of sun, which is no hotter than a normal summers day, is enough to cause a fire IMO.