Saddleworth Moor named as one of England's frontlines of climate chaos

Friends of the Earth has revealed the frontlines of climate change in England to mark the 10th anniversary of the Climate Change Act, and the urgent action still needed to prevent runaway climate change.

Communities around Saddleworth Moor have been included high in the list, largely due to the extreme wildfires of summer 2018 which spread rapidly as the heatwave turned the moorland into a tinderbox. 

Moors such as Saddleworth burnt for days on end; leaving them as charred husks, ruining ecosystems, threatening local towns and increasing air pollution.

Weather attribution scientists estimate that the probability of the heatwave of summer 2018 was generally more than two times higher than if human activities had not altered climate.

With a greater risk of summer heatwaves, we may well see wildfires become a far too regular threat if more action is not taken now to reduce emissions and avoid further climate chaos.

Samuel Harber, from Mossley, on the edge Saddleworth Moor, said: “I was cycling home from work in Manchester to Mossley and I could see the smoke rising above the hills.

"As I got within a couple of miles of home, I could smell the smoke as well.

“I spent the night watching the fire front sweep down the moor nearby.

"The next day the full severity was becoming apparent, with calls from the local Fire Brigade for donations of bottled water, energy gels and snacks initially, and a few days later caps, socks and other items.

"My running club quickly organised a collection of energy gels to deliver to the Stalybridge station, and the whole community quickly came together to donate everything they could as it was asked for.

“For the next week the valley was shrouded in thick smoke, especially at night as the winds died down, and during the day, helicopters were routinely dropping water on fresh outbreaks in areas where the fire engines couldn’t get to.

“These fires are always a risk, but an increased frequency with an already stretched fire service is always going to be a worry.

“The government isn’t doing anywhere near enough to tackle climate change, and the recent restarting of test fracking is in direct contrast to the public interest.”

Emi Murphy, a Friends of the Earth climate campaigner, added: “The government must wake up to the fact that climate change is already having awful consequences for communities, with the memory of the extreme wildfires on Saddleworth Moor all too fresh.

"If we don’t see the necessary action from the government soon to prevent further climate chaos we are going to see a greater and greater risk of such fires becoming a regular occurrence.

“The Climate Change Act was a truly remarkable political achievement that has driven cuts in UK emissions.

"But dire warnings from scientists demonstrate how further and faster action is essential to prevent complete climate breakdown.

"Instead, with its relentless pursuit of fracking, airport expansion, and road building, our government is failing us on climate change.”

---

Do you have a story for us? Want to tell us about something going on in and around Oldham? Let us know by emailing news@oldham-chronicle.co.uk , calling our Oldham-based newsroom on 0161 633 2121 , tweeting us @oldhamchronicle or messaging us through our Facebook page. All contact will be treated in confidence.