Pictures and video show firefighters and gamekeepers battle Sheffield moorland blaze
Firefighters advise locals to keep windows shut
Gamekeepers from the Peak District Moorland Group and South Yorkshire firefighters battled the flames on the Bradfield estate, as the heatwave continued last night.
It comes as South Yorkshire Firefighters said today they were still dealing with a moorland fire on Mortimer Road, near Bradfield, with several fire crews at the scene, and local residents being asked to keep their doors and windows closed due to smoke.
The PDMG said: “South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue attended and got to work with 70mm hoses and fire beaters. Traditional fire beaters are pretty useless with high fuel loads, heat and wind.
“Thankfully our WhatsApp group kicked in and within an hour we had experienced gamekeepers and their fire fighting equipment turning up from all the shooting estates, along with local farmers who brought tractors and slurry spreaders to help the Bradfield gamekeeping team.”
They said they managed to contained the fire to a relatively small area, compared to what could have gone up.
Gamekeeper’s remained on site last night with even higher predicted temperatures today.
They have been wetting down the burning peat. Bosses at The Plough pub, in, Bradfield, sent food up to the gamekeepers who were working into the night.
The PDMG added in a statement: “We encourage visitors to please stay away from our vulnerable moorland areas when the fire risk is so high and our resources from all sectors are literally at breaking point.”