Only takes a spark to start a wildfire, crews warn

Fire services across Yorkshire have joined forces to warn people of the dangers of disposable barbecues and campfires on moorlands, with 342 wildfires reported across England and Wales since January.

According to National Resilience data, the 2025 wildfire season was the busiest on record with 1,006 fires during the year, surpassing the previous record of 994 in 2022.

West Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service (WYFRS) said it saw its highest January-to-May wildfire count in six years during 2025, with 31 incidents by the end of May.

A spokesperson said: "While the number of wildfires this year is lower than last, it only takes one spark to cause significant damage."

Richard Hawley, group manager at WYFRS, said: "It's very challenging.

"We've got some absolutely beautiful landscapes in our region - moorland and rolling countryside and we want people to enjoy our beautiful outdoors but to do it safely."

He urged people venturing out into the countryside to take a picnic instead of a barbecue.

"All of that heat is being transferred under the ground where you can't see and then fires start smouldering and hours later the peat releases energy and fires break out," Hawley said.

He said the methods of fighting wildfires were always evolving and crews were now using similar techniques as seen on the continent.

"We look to our neighbours on mainland Europe for the latest expertise such as containing fires by modelling the landscape, examining topography and looking at weather predictions," he said.

Assistant District Commander Mick Rhodes, Lead Wildfire Officer for WYFRS, said: "Yorkshire's moorlands are among our most valuable natural environments, but during prolonged periods of warm, dry weather they can become incredibly vulnerable.

"Most wildfires are preventable and by making simple choices, such as leaving disposable barbecues at home, taking litter away with you and never lighting open fires on the moors, everyone has a role to play in protecting our countryside, wildlife and the communities that surround it. "

One of the most serious incidents in 2025 was the Langdale Moor wildfire in North Yorkshire last August.

A "major incident" was declared on 13 August and, at its peak, the fire covered about 10 sq miles (25 sq km).

After an investigation, North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service (NYFRS) concluded the fire was caused by a naked flame from a campfire or gas burner.

Tom Hirst, Director of Community Risk and Resilience at NYFRS, said the fire showed how they could "devastate landscapes" and put huge pressure on emergency services by reducing their availability to respond to other potentially life-threatening emergencies.

Sarah Wilkinson, Head of Prevention at Humberside Fire & Rescue Service added: "As we experience warmer, drier summers, it's more important than ever that people understand the risks that grassland and wildfires pose to our communities, countryside and wildlife."

Throughout the summer, all four Yorkshire fire and rescue services will share #BeMoorAware advice across their websites and social media channels, encouraging everyone to enjoy Yorkshire's countryside responsibly.

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