The Government will not provide compensation for local businesses, farmers and landowners impacted by last year’s wildfire in North Yorkshire.

Farmers and businesses affected by the Fylingdales Moor wildfire, the largest in North Yorkshire’s history, will not receive Government compensation.

Alison Hume, the MP for Scarborough and Whitby, whose constituency includes the affected area, said she was disappointed by the decision.

The MP has previously said farms and businesses hit by such fires should receive support similar to that provided for flooding and is hoping to propose legislation on the issue.

placeholder image — The Langdale Moor fire

She added a proper scheme had to be in place for “the next time, and there unfortunately will be a next time when there’s a wildfire”.

However, Ms Hume also said she believed “there’s going to be substantial money coming in from the Government to support the restoration of the moors”.

The fire at Langdale Moor, in the North York Moors National Park near RAF Fylingdales, broke out on August 11.

It was only on September 23 that North Yorkshire Fire Service confirmed it was no longer being treated as a major incident.

North Yorkshire Council said its position had “always been that, had this been a flooding incident, a government framework would have unlocked funds, and we have, and will continue to make the case for wildfires to be treated in the same way.

“We have now received a response from government that there is no compensation available for local businesses, farmers and landowners impacted.”

In response, NYC said it was working with the Two Ridings Community Foundation to provide “one-off limited support for businesses that were required to be evacuated by Fire and Rescue Service due to the danger to life risk and forced to close due to the blaze, via the North Yorkshire Extreme Weather Business Support Fund”.

Speaking at a council meeting last week, Ms Hume told members of the Scarborough and Whitby Area Committee: “I’ve been working on calling for a Government recovery framework for wildfires like the one currently in place for flooding, and I’m hoping to bring a Ten Minute Rule Bill on that.

“I know that there has been some talk now of the Government not compensating a small number of businesses and farmers from the last fire, which I’m disappointed about, but I do understand there’s going to be substantial money coming in from the government to support the restoration of the moors.

“I will keep working on this so that the next time, and there unfortunately will be a next time when there’s a wildfire, that there is a recovery grant scheme in place for businesses and farmers.”

The North York Moors National Park Authority is working with Defra and Natural England to secure funding for the restoration of land on Fylingdales Moor.

“While confirmation is awaited, it is understood that Defra is looking to provide substantial support for restoration, combined with match funding the National Park Authority has secured form other sources, including the authority’s Section 106 allocations,” it said.

Funding is expected to be time-limited, and therefore the National Park Authority has opened a tender exercise for restoration works with a deadline of Friday, June 19.

A spokesperson added: “The recovery programme has been carefully designed to ensure the moorland continues to function as the vibrant, working landscape it has always been.

“This includes supporting a mosaic of habitats, sustaining grazing and farming activity, and protecting the historic environment features that make this place so distinctive. As well as restoring what was lost, the programme aims to enhance Fylingdales Moor’s long-term resilience for the communities, visitors and wildlife that depend on it.”