Wild fires are not preventable as debate about moorland burning intensifies – Yorkshire Post Letters

I RESPOND to the letter from Tina Brough (The Yorkshire Post, January 10) representing the North Yorkshire Moors Moorland Organisation.

To suggest that that the burning of moorland to try and improve grouse numbers for shooting will save this country from catastrophic fires that are ravaging the whole of Australia is, quite frankly, disgusting.

Controlled burning vital for preservation of moors to avoid catastrophic wildfires like those in Australia - Yorkshire Post letters

What is happening in Australia is off the scale of horror and disaster and to try to use this to promote grouse shooting practices is frankly mindboggling. I have no strong views on game shooting, but this must rate as the biggest own goal ever.

Grouse shooting is vital to management of our moors – Yorkshire Post Letters

The fires on Saddleworth Moor and other areas in 2018 were started by arsonists, some of whom are now in prison. Truly wild fires started by lightning strikes, or sun shining through broken glass, are extremely rare. Most fires in this country are started by people either deliberately, stupidly (discarded barbecues etc) or accidentally (heather burning out of control).

The comments that somehow these fires in Australia were preventable is an absolute insult to those suffering this catastrophe.