Dramatic footage shows firefighters battling a huge wildfire as it tears through the Peak District – the blaze closed a major road connecting Sheffield and Manchester
A huge wildfire that closed a road connecting two major UK cities has been brought under control, firefighters have said.
The A47 Snake Pass – one of the main routes connecting Sheffield and Manchester – was shut between Glossop and Ladybower Reservoir yesterday as smoke billowed across the Peak District from the “large scale” fire.
Derbyshire firefighters were first alerted to the blaze late on Thursday evening, with videos yesterday showing 900,000 sq metre (9.69 million sq ft) of moorland on fire.
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Crews from Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, were brought in to help tackle the fire, with the Peak District Fire Operations Group, local gamekeepers, landowners, and Derby Mountain Rescue team also joining in the efforts.
An update last night from Derbyshire Fire and Rescue service confirmed that it was “now under control” and that the road has reopened to traffic.
Locals “should not be alarmed” if they see smoke or “small pockets of flame” in the area, they said, but should keep windows and doors closed as a precaution.
Fire crews will be at the scene again this morning to monitor the situation.
A statement from Derbyshire Fire and Rescue said: “Firefighters along with partners from the Fire Operations Group (FOG) and Derby Mountain Rescue have been working hard to extinguish the fire at Snake Pass Summit throughout the day.
“The fire is now under control and final fire crews have withdrawn from the area, however the situation will continue to be monitored throughout the night.
“Residents should not be alarmed if they see smoke or small pockets of flame. If affected, please keep windows and doors closed as a precaution.
“The road closure for the Snake Pass between Glossop and Ladybower Reservoir has now been lifted. Firefighters are planned to return tomorrow, Saturday 2 May, at 06:00 hours.”
High Peak, which covers about 208 square miles of the Peak District National Park, is now the most vulnerable parliamentary constituency in the country to wildfires, experts said today.
Two ‘significant’ wildfires tore through Ladybower Reservoir in the space of just 48 hours last month, leading park authorities to remind visitors not to use disposable barbecues and to take all their litter home with them.
A spokesperson for the Moorland Association told the BBC: “High Peak is the most vulnerable constituency to wildfires. We face a wildfire crisis. Last year was by far the worst we have had.”
The National Gamekeepers’ Organisation has raised its wildfire risk index to red for all moorland areas in England and Wales following recent dry weather.
