Moorlands are exquisite habitats supporting a panoply of life. They should not go up in flames.  

by Dr Jennifer Jones, Scientist and nature writer 

…fly away home”. I have remembered this rhyme since childhood because it upset me whenever I heard it. “Ladybird, ladybird, fly away home. Your house is on fire and your children are gone”. The thought of the trauma that mother ladybird and her children must have endured touched me immensely. The pain of that has reemerged in recent years as I have witnessed the damage caused by moorland fires. 

If media reports are to be our yardstick, we might think that wildfires occur only in Australia or North America, but the number of wildfires occurring in the UK are on the increase, many with severe consequences. The heatwave of 2022 caused temperatures of over 40 degrees in the UK. A grassfire in London resulted in the destruction of 20 houses. That year there were 24,316 wildfires in England between June and August 2022. Only a minority of those hit the headlines.  

In April this year, according to the BBC, the area of land burnt by wildfires so far is already higher than the total for any other year in the past decade. Closer to home, a large wildfire in the Goyt Valley in late April caused devastation and damage to an area the size of 325 football pitches. Inevitably, Derbyshire Fire and Rescue service reported considerable numbers of birds and mammals being killed and showed a heartbreaking image of a ground-nesting bird’s nest containing charred eggs.  

So why is this happening and, apparently, increasing? Climate change is one cause. March this year was unusually dry with temperatures higher than the norm. Late April and early May also have featured low rainfall amounts, which will leave areas susceptible. Those researching climate change believe that this is one aspect that is likely to increase if global air temperatures are not brought under control. Scientists at the Met Office predict a rise in wildfires globally by 14 per cent by 2030, 30 per cent by 2050 and 50 per cent by 2100.  

Human activity is also a major contributor, most of it thoughtless and unintentional. There are cases of arson, but many large wildfires are the result of carelessly discarded cigarettes and campfires, including the use of so-called disposable barbecues. Many people do not understand the fire risk of camp fires or disposable barbecues. Dry vegetation ignites rapidly. Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service believe these to be primary causes of moorland fires and, with a number of bank holidays in the coming months, they have urged visitors to our uplands not to use disposable barbecues. The British Mountaineering Council feels so strongly about the environmental and economic costs of wildfires that it is campaigning to make use of disposable barbecues on open moorland a criminal offence.  

Management of grouse moors requires controlled burns, mainly being in the uplands. Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for these burns to become uncontrolled. The soils of our moorlands are very peaty and peat makes an excellent fuel. A major burn on Saddleworth Moor in Lancashire in 2018 burnt for 3 weeks because the fire burnt deep into the peat, smouldering for considerable time. This burning into deep peat not only damages the habitat, it also results in a loss of carbon into the atmosphere.  

Why does reducing fire risk matter? Primarily because wildfires are a potential risk to humans and animals and cause considerable economic costs. An individual fire might cost in excess of £1 million. Smoke from wildfires creates problems with visibility when fires occur close to transport networks. Some wildfires in the UK are often close to built-up areas. Smoke can be hazardous if inhaled and may cause respiratory disease. During a recent fire in the Goyt Valley, local residents were urged to stay away from the blaze area and to keep all doors and windows closed.  

Large wildfires require interaction of many agencies: fire and rescue teams, helicopters to bring water to inaccessible areas, the military and police. Many of our reservoirs are based in the uplands, so the ash from wildfires can cause problems for our water treatment works. These are not without cost.  

Fire service professionals always state that prevention is the best measure. They believe that public education is critical. It should be easy to achieve this, yet it is clear that the message is not getting out there. Smokers should not discard their cigarette butts out of car windows or on moorland vegetation. If disposable barbecues must be used, check the guidance given by your local fire and rescue service. Always take litter home. Discarded crisp packets or chocolate bar wrappers add to the potential flammability of moorland.  

Moorlands are exquisite habitats supporting a panoply of life. They should not go up in flames.  

All-powerful God, you are present in the whole universe  

and in the smallest of your creatures.  

You embrace with your tenderness all that exists.  

Pour out upon us the power of your love,  

That we may protect life and beauty.  

(Pope Francis, Laudato Si’, 2015)