LANGDALE MOOR FIRE: Thank you and goodbye! National fire appliances return to home stations
North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service’s Chief Fire Officer, Jonathan Dyson, has issued a message of thanks to all of those involved in tackling the Langdale Moor Fire.
The fire, which began on August 11, has now been contained for eight days, although crews continue to monitor the site and deal with sporadic flare-ups where the peat burning beneath the surface finds something combustible like dry grass.
The incident will now progress to the recovery phase with all agencies, with the exception of the fire service, standing down their major incident status.
Mr Dyson said: “My sincere thanks once again to all our staff which have worked tirelessly throughout the entire incident, which includes all of our support staff who have supplied water and food up to the incident, and the mechanics which have been on site helping and maintaining all the appliances.
“It's been a truly enormous effort by North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service staff. And thanks, once again, to our partner agencies, our farmers, the gamekeepers, the contractors, Ministry of Defence, and the Local Resilience Forum who have played a massive part in helping move the incident along.
“Also Galtres Lodge Park who have been the host for the strategic holding area allowing the national assets to be hosted whilst they were in our county and once again most importantly to our local communities.
“Your support has been fantastic all the way through, and I know on behalf of our crews that that has made a massive difference to us whilst we've been dealing with this incident.”
Crews continue to monitor and deal with flare ups, however, the national support will be leaving the strategic holding unit over the next 24 hours.
Mr Dyson said: “National resilience assets were called for two key vital areas. Firstly, it was to give our crews a welfare break, and it also allowed us to return some of the crews home, particularly the on call firefighters who have other primary employment.
“It was also so that we could return business as usual back into the county at a better scale so that we maintain the appropriate response throughout the county.
“From our perspective, that has been achieved. We only request national resilience assets for a very finite period, so an agreement was reached for all the national assets to return to their home counties.
“It's vital that I recognize the extreme support and work that we've had from a large number of supporting counties which include Hertfordshire, Staffordshire, West Yorkshire, Manchester, Tyne and Weir, London, Cleveland, Humberside, Cumbria, South Wales, Gloucestershire and Hereford and Worcestershire.
“Whilst the national assets are returning they remain available for recall should North Yorkshire require them.
"We will still have a number of appliances through the day and at night monitoring and controlling the perimeter.
"A fire investigation cell will undertake a detailed investigation of what they believe is the possible the cause of the fire.”
Road safety measures remain in place, which include a 30pmph speed limit on sections of the A171 and the closure of the road leading to Maybeck.
For the latest information visit North Yorkshire Council’s Langdale area fire web page.