Moor fires leave wildlife indefinitely harmed

The Saddleworth Moor fires raged for over three weeks

The devastation caused to Saddleworth Moor following the largest ever wildfire in Greater Manchester has become clearer over the past week.

The blaze, which has destroyed 2,000 acres of wildlife-rich moorland, raged for over three weeks.

On June 28, 100 troops from the Fourth Batallion, Royal Regiment of Scotland, were brought in to tackle the flames, but by July 6 their outstanding work allowed them to stand down, but this does not mean an end to the damage.

The moor's vibrant wildlife has been indefinitely harmed.

Larger animals such as deer and sheep were rescued, but many smaller reptiles have perished and birds such as oystercatchers and short eared owls found themselves without homes as a result of the damage.

It was announced in early July that the fire was being investigated as arson by the Manchester police following eyewitness reports of people lighting bonfires on the moorland.

However, even if the initial cause were deliberate, it is clear that the dry moorland - the result of weeks of unusually hot weather - exacerbated the seriousness of the blaze.

This is not lost on Tameside Council, who will discuss environmental goals at their green summit later this year.

The fire is a clear wake-up call for some about the impacts of climate change and our ability to cope with such events becoming more frequent.

Even facing this bleak outlook, however, firefighters and soldiers were inundated with support from the local community.

Highlighted by a local fish and chip shop offering free food and pupils off school delivering gifts, the spirit of locals has been admirable.

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