CONCERN is growing over the fire risk to national parks in North Yorkshire as the scorching temperatures continue.

Staff from the North York Moors and the Yorkshire Dales national park authorities have been putting fire risk warning signs up on moorland sites this week, advising people how they can help reduce the risk.

The park authorities says a combination of the tinder dry ground vegetation such as heather and bracken, a lack of rain and sunny weather has prompted the decision to put the moors on fire alert.

With the warm weather set to continue over the next few days, the risk of a fire is becoming a concern

The park rangers are asking people to continue to enjoy the park, but be extra careful.

Alan Hulme, head of park management for the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority (YDNPA) said that, in these dry conditions, moorland fires could spread very quickly and could be devastating to the landscape and its wildlife, and especially, at this time of year, to ground nesting birds.

“We obviously want people to come and enjoy the Yorkshire Dales, but we would urge them to do what they can to help us prevent a fire from breaking out,” he said.

North York Moors’ senior ranger, Bernie McLinden, said: “People are asked to avoid lighting fires and BBQs and not to discard cigarettes, matches or glass bottles, including throwing cigarette ends out of car windows.

“Moorland fires can spread extremely quickly, as has been evident on Saddleworth Moor, and this can cause significant damage to the landscape and its wildlife.

“The majority of moorland fires can be prevented so we would urge people to take extra care when visiting the National Park while the fire risk signs are in place.”

The Northern Echo:

The authority says if people see a fire, they should report it quickly to the fire service by dialling 999. As the controlled heather burning period for gamekeepers has now ended, any fire spotted will be a wildfire and should be reported.

It comes as about firefighters with North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service spent the night tackling a large fire in woodland near Harrogate, where flames at one point were described as between 30ft and 40ft.

About 20 firefighters from stations including Knaresborough, Summerbridge, Grassington and Harrogate were called to Jack Hill near Norwood at about 11.30pm last night. The response has now been scaled down, but officers are expected to remain at the site for most of the day.

Meanwhile, soldiers based at Catterick Garrison have been deployed to help firefighters battling the immense fire on Saddleworth Moor near Manchester.

About 100 soldiers from 4th Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland were deployed from the North Yorkshire army base to help tackle the 20ft flames.

The fire has now reached seven square miles and Greater Manchester fire and rescue have said the fire could take weeks to put out. More than 100 firefighters are working rolling 12-hour shifts to tackle the blaze.