Roads remain closed in Oldham and Saddleworth amid moorland fires

Reporter: Jon Chubb
Date published: 23 April 2019


Several roads across Oldham and Saddleworth remain closed while fire crews continue to battle a number of fires across Moorland which began over the course of the weekend.

Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service have said they still have a number of firefighters tackling the flames along with crews from West Yorkshire and Derbyshire, however the blazes are understood to be under control.

It was during Easter Sunday when reports first came in of a major fire on Marsden Moor in West Yorkshire, with The National Trust saying they believe it was started by a barbeque.

That fire then spread to Saddleworth Moor, however during the hottest weekend of the year a number of other fires also started across region including in Delph, Uppermill, Stalybridge and Tintwistle in Derbyshire.

 

The Oldham Evening Chronicle has seen incredible drone footage showing the extent of the fire in Uppermill, shot by Martyn Nolan it shows a long line of flames making their way across the grassland which had been dried by days of hot sunshine.

Other pictures and footage we’ve seen show flames just yards away from people’s homes and businesses.

As many as five fires have swept across moorland in Oldham and Tameside

Although the fire service maintained that there wasn’t a threat to public safety as they had it under control despite the dramatic scenes people were met with across Oldham, Saddleworth and Tameside.

This morning (Tuesday 23rd April) Manchester Road in Bleak Hey Nook, Saddleworth Road in Deanhead, New Hey Road in Denshaw and Ladcastle Road in Dobcross remain closed while fire crews battle the flames.

At the height of the fires, smoke could be seen for miles around with people as far as Chadderton commentating that they could smell the smoke.

 


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