Today I've received a comprehensive briefing from Peter Lee, Director of Fire at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, on the ongoing response to the Langdale Moor Fire affecting his constituency.
The fire, which has impacted moorland partly within the Thirsk and Malton constituency, has required a modified firefighting approach due to the presence of unexploded munitions in the area. Instead of standard tactics, fire services are creating firebreaks and using containment strategies to manage the blaze safely.
Key Response Measures:
- Deployment of additional national resilience assets to support local fire services
- Use of Forestry Commission helicopters for water drops to avoid ground-based risks
- Drone surveillance for monitoring fire direction and potential breaches
- Road closures implemented where necessary as natural firebreaks
- Protection measures for Fylingdales area, which is acting as a natural firebreak
- Military assets deployed locally with potential for MACA (Military Aid to Civil Authorities) request if additional support is required
I was assured that funding requests are being processed to support the enhanced response operation, with the government committed to providing necessary resources without overwhelming local services.
Weather forecasts indicate potential rainfall over the weekend, which could significantly assist firefighting efforts. The 20-kilometer fire boundary continues to be monitored, with particular attention to gusting wind conditions that have complicated containment efforts.
Future Moorland Management Concerns:
I also raised important concerns about proposed changes to environmental regulations that could restrict cool burning practices on moorland. Current proposals to change the definition of deep peat from 30-40 centimetres to 30 centimetres would significantly reduce areas available for controlled burning - a key tool in preventing large-scale wildfires.
I'm grateful to Peter Lee and the fire services for their comprehensive response to this challenging situation. However, this incident highlights the critical importance of maintaining our ability to manage moorland through controlled cool burning. We must ensure environmental policies don't inadvertently increase wildfire risks by preventing proper land management.
I will be writing to write to Environment Secretary Steve Reed following this incident to ensure wildfire prevention is properly considered in future environmental policy decisions.
