Langdale Moor fire - update: multiple explosives detonated as extra firefighting resource is called in
So often uttered is the saying that it flirts with being a cliche, yet there has rarely been a better example of grave adversity bringing out the very best in people than is on display in the north of the county in recent days.
Tinder box-dry Langdale Moor has been ablaze for the best part of a fortnight, but a change in prevailing winds in recent days has really brought home the monumental effort that is going into halting the fire’s progress.
Towns and villages impacted by the smoke have resembled scenes from apocalyptic Hollywood blockbusters, thick smoke blocking out the sun. People living in affected areas are advised to keep windows and doors shut.
Yet it isn’t just the indefatigable firefighters putting their shoulders to the wheel, Herculean though their efforts have and continue to be, it is people from across the region, from gamekeepers and farmers to camp site owners and cafes.
Contractors have been lending tankers and bowsers and volunteers have been helping to create fire breaks, however, nobody should try to help without first seeking guidance as to what to do and where to go – 18 bombs, shells and mines have been blown up in an area once used for military training.
At an urgent briefing held yesterday, convened by North Yorkshire Council, North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue chief Jonathan Dyson reassured people that the fire was under control, but warned that could change in a heartbeat owing to the weather. He has called upon other firefighters from around the country to try to double the amount of resource.
This is a frightening episode for many people, yet the courage, community spirit and collective endeavours of one-and-all tells its own story about the calibre of people who make Yorkshire the envy of all others around the country.