Firefighters respond to large woodland fire after North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue declare major incident

On Tuesday July 19, at 12.30pm, crews from Filey, Whitby, Robin Hoods Bay and Tadcaster responded to reports of a fire in Sherburn.

The fire was approximately one acre of woodland which had burnt a caravan and had spread to a building.

In the afternoon, at Leavening, Malton, crews from Malton, Pickering, Sherburn, Helmsley, Huntington and Tadcaster attended a fire in a field of standing crops.

Throughout the day, crews from Scarborough, Sherburn, Malton, Huntington and Harrogate all responded to small fires in the open.

Yesterday, the Met Office forecast record-breaking temperatures on the coast. The Scarborough News is awaiting official confirmation.

Due to the heat, and several fires, North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service declared a major incident.

Dave Winspear, Director of Transformation, North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service said: “We have responded to a number of significant incidents today, with four to eight pumps being deployed simultaneously.

“Our resilience plans have been truly tested. Our Service has coped well and maintained the ability to respond to risks and threats to life across the City and county.

“Declaring a major incident is a procedural step in ensuring that our partners are aware of our level of response and that they are ready to step up to support us if needed. We are experiencing a protracted period of hot weather and we want to be sure that we have taken all necessary steps to keep the public safe.”

The major incident is set to be reviewed again today.