Farm on the M62: 'Nothing is sacred any more' as moors burn - Jill Thorp
The heady scent of hawthorn fills our yard as the highly scented flowers also known as “may blossom” burst into life.
The fragrance floats around in the warm breeze mixing with the cow parsley now lining the long drive up to the farm. The moor fire that started over a week ago is still burning, individual hot spots flaring in the mid-day heat.
It must be so draining for the fire crews who are up there most days trying to douse the flames and soak the peat. The landscape is scorched and blackened and whilst in a fairly short space of time, the surface will heal and “green up” again, the real damage continues as the peat burns. The environmental cost is huge.
The volume of carbon released into the atmosphere and polluting of the water catchment areas doesn’t bear thinking about. It was estimated that the 2018 fires on Saddleworth Moor emitted a staggering 24,000 tonnes of carbon whilst contaminating all local water sources.
The moors of the Southern Pennines and Peak District still harbour the past pollutants and heavy metals that once spewed from vast mills during the Industrial Revolution. Releasing these back into our environment must warrant significantly more concern that what it does and should certainly demand a rethink of how our uplands are currently being managed or should I say, their current lack of management.
For many, I’m sure, a moorland fire warrants little concern. After all what is there of importance but dead looking grass and shrubs. This couldn’t be further from the truth and these ever present fires will have far reaching consequences unless action is taken. The little guy has followed with fascination, the unfolding sorry saga of the Sycamore Gap tree. He is perplexed by the level of near hysteria over its loss and is yet to understand and appreciate the significance of the tree and why it meant so much to so many.
With the vast majority of our hill sheep now lambed, the meadows around the farm are full to bursting. By now most are normally back out on their summer grazing but the fires have left us reluctant to turn the sheep out. Our moorland grazing which runs up the westbound stretch of the motorway and over towards the Pennine Way is trapped between blackened and burnt earth as huge areas around us have already been subjected to arson.
The thought of turning our ewes and lambs out onto land that could potentially be the next target is worrying to say the least. There is no grazing of any nutritional value left at home, the meadows are turning brown in the heat and the lack of rain means they’ll remain parched for some time. It’s a predicament we’ve never been in before; afraid to turn our sheep out for fear of some idiot setting light to their home.
Perhaps it will be one we will have to get used to and accept that nothing is sacred any more.