Busy weekend in Scarborough and Filey as fire crews tackle combine harvester blaze, lift rescue and outdoor fires

North Yorkshire fire crews were called to a number of reports involving outdoor fires over the weekend, with several incidents linked to campfires and barbecues.

On July 30 at 7:13pm crews from Robin Hood’s Bay attended Filey Brigg following reports of a fire in the open. On arrival, firefighters found people using a barbecue in a safe area and provided safety advice. Later that evening at 7:21pm, a Filey crew responded to smoke coming from a wooded area off Seamer Road, Scarborough, where a supervised campfire was located and advice was given.

At 7:40pm, crews a crew from Robin Hoods Bay attended separate call on Lady Edith’s Drive, Scarborough, involving reports of young people on the third floor of a property, was also investigated. Crews searched the building but found nobody inside.

On July 31 at 09:10am, Scarborough firefighters were called to Pavilion Close, Filey, where a person was trapped in a lift. Crews forced the lift open using their equipment and handed the incident over to paramedics.

Later on at 2:19pm, two Scarborough appliances attended Sands Road, Hunmanby, after a car fire spread to a nearby hedgerow. Firefighters used two hose reel jets to extinguish the blaze and a thermal imaging camera to check for hotspots. The cause of the fire remains unknown.

On August 1, crews dealt with several more incidents, including a vulnerable person at a property on Endcliff Terrace, Scarborough, where firefighters helped lift the person back into bed.

At 10:57am a major agricultural fire was reported at Barmoor Lane, Scalby, after a combine harvester caught fire. The blaze destroyed the machine 100% and spread to around 10 metres by 10 metres of stubble in a standing crop field. Crews used two breathing apparatus, two hose reel jets, a thermal imaging camera, beaters, small tools, cutters and spreaders, to deal with the incident.

Later that day at 12:13pm, a Filey crew attended Lady Edith’s Drive after a woodland fire measuring around 4 metres by 6 metres was reported. Crews used knapsack sprayers, a portable pump, a main jet and wildfire equipment to extinguish the flames.

On August 2 at 07:11am, firefighters located another campfire in woodland near Broxa and provided advice to those responsible.

The most significant incident of the weekend began at Wykeham Forest, where crews were called at 11:41am to reports of a fire. The blaze was found to have spread to around 20 metres by 20 metres within the forest.

Additional resources were requested from Robin Hood’s Bay, Sherburn, Pickering and Filey, along with a water bowser from Tadcaster, an Argocat from Kirkbymoorside and a welfare unit from Thirsk. The incident remained ongoing.

Later that evening, at 6:35pm crews from Malton and Robin Hood’s Bay attended Queens Terrace, Scarborough, following reports of a possible house fire. Investigations found the issue was caused by a water heater smoking due to an electrical fault. Firefighters isolated the electrics and provided safety advice to the occupant.

NYFRS have continued to remind residents and visitors to take care when using barbecues, campfires and outdoor fires, particularly during dry conditions when flames can quickly spread through woodland and countryside areas.