THE quick reporting of a smouldering barbecue by a member of the public - and the response of Ilkley firefighters - prevented a major incident on Ilkley Moor.
Firefighters from Ilkley Station were called at around 7pm on Sunday, June 19 to a barbecue smouldering away.
A spokesperson for Ilkley Fire Station said: "This was the exact spot where the large moorland fire started some years back which destroyed a large area of the moorland. You can see how small the fire appears initially, however we had to dig up a larger area as the fire had began to spread and was deep seated within the peat, reading 125 degrees on our thermal imaging camera!
"The PSPO still remains in place and it is against the law for ANY fires or BBQS to be ignited!! The weather has been extremely hot recently and has made the moorland very dry which increases the risk of wildfire.
"Huge thank-you to the person who reported this. If it had been left undetected, this could have potentially been a lot bigger incident."
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel