Lancashire Fire and Rescue on alert to help amid dangerous wildfires in Greater Manchester and Peak District
The crews from Lancashire are ready to support as wildfires sweep across nearby areas.
Fire crews from across the Fylde Coast are on standby amid dangerous wild fires in Greater Manchester and the Peak District.
A statement from Lancashire Fire and Rescue confirmed that firefighters from across the county could be utilised to support neighbouring county crews from Greater Manchester.
The statement read: “Crews from Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service are currently providing standby cover at stations in Greater Manchester while firefighters continue to deal with the ongoing wildfires. This support helps maintain emergency fire and rescue cover for local communities and ensures neighbouring services can continue their response efforts.”
Numerous wildfires across Manchester and Derbyshire have burnt hundreds of acres of moorland, lasting for several days. Continued dry weather means that it could take several weeks to fully extinguish the fires.
Meanwhile, drought has been declared in North Wales and the Upper Severn, following record dry conditions, heatwaves, wildfires and dwindling rivers, Natural Resources Wales (NRW) said. It is the first part of the UK to declare drought status, after widespread dry weather and record-breaking heatwaves have hit swathes of the country this summer.
Many parts of England are in prolonged dry weather status as the country has received just 3% of its average July rainfall, with hosepipe bans in place for 23 million customers and suppliers warning they may stay in place all summer.
Wildfires have been raging in a number of places in England, while Scotland has also been hit by a major wildfire in the Cairngorms, and in the Republic of Ireland, a nationwide hosepipe ban is in place in response to the dry conditions.
This summer’s dry conditions follow last year’s drought summer, as the UK increasingly faces more extreme weather fuelled by human-caused climate change, mostly from burning fossil fuels. As warm weather continues, yellow heat health alerts – warning of minor impacts for health and social care services have been issued in England for the East Midlands, West Midlands, South East, South West, East of England, and London running from 9am on Friday to 9am on Sunday.
The Met Office said temperatures would be more towards average for the time of the year, in the low to mid 20Cs, although into next week Tuesday could be warmer.