Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service have confirmed that a huge fire which broke out on Helsby Hill at the weekend started accidentally.
Crews battled for hours to put out the gorse fire, which happened around 8pm on Friday (June 29) and was visible for miles across Cheshire and Merseyside.
Grass and trees were well alight when firefighters arrived and the fire affected visibility on the M56 due to the thick plumes of smoke. A special lighting system had to be set up to enable crews to extinguish the blaze.
They worked late into the night dampening down hotspots but the decision was taken to withdraw shortly after midnight for safety reasons due to working near cliff edges in hours of darkness.
Two fire engines returned the following morning to continue their work, using hose reels on the gorse to prevent further flare ups.
While Cheshire has avoided the dramatic scenes of Winter and Saddleworth Moors, in Lancashire and Greater Manchester respectively, there have been several reports of fires during the current heatwave.
This has led Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service to issue countryside fire safety advice in order to prevent grass fires in hot weather.
Tips to help to prevent grass fires
- Avoid using open fires in the countryside
- Do not leave bottles or glass in woodlands
- Keep young children and ball games away from barbecues
- Extinguish cigarettes and other smoking materials properly
- Only use barbecues in suitable and safe areas and never leave them unattended
- Never throw cigarette ends out of car windows - they can ruin whole fields of crops
- Ensure that your barbecue is fully extinguished and cold before disposing of the contents
- Sunlight shining through glass can start large fires - take glass bottles/jars home or put them in a waste or recycling bin
Take care when in the countryside and alert the Service to fires as early as possible via 999 calls. An early call could mean the difference between a small, easily controllable fire and a widespread, devastating fire.
If a fire breaks out
If a fire breaks out, call the Fire and Rescue Service immediately.
It can be hard to give the location for an open area so mention any landmarks, such as a public house or a church in the vicinity.
Do not attempt to put the fire out yourself unless it is very small. Grass and crop fire can travel very quickly and change direction without warning.
