Public rights of way back open four months after huge blaze devastates parts of North York Moors National Park
Following the devastating Langdale Forest and Fylingdales Moors fires over the summer, the North York Moors National Park has now announced that public rights of way are finally back open.
At its peak, the boundary of the fire – which first broke out on August 12 – measured around 20 square km and roads in the area were closed due to smoke and to allow emergency access.
The major incident status was de-escalated on September 23, with active firefighting operations slowly transitioning into a coordinated phase of damage assessments, clean-up and long-term restoration planning across the affected area.
It was the biggest fire in the history of the North York Moors National Park.
The temporary suspension of open access in this area has ended, but people are advised to aware that the recovering landscape is hazardous and fragile.
Visitors are asked to follow advisory signage and remain on designated paths, helping to protect public safety and support long-term environmental recovery.
The national park said that the loss of surface peat and vegetation exposed historic military debris.
"While most items are harmless, there is still a risk that unexploded ordnance (UXO) remains present.
"Disturbing the ground is dangerous, please keep to the path and remain vigilant,” the authority added.
Visit https://www.northyorkmoors.org.uk/climate-change/wildfire to read all guidance and the latest updates.