A fire brigade spokesman spoke of his disbelief after a police helicopter assisting in the operation to extinguish a number of major wildfires in the north of England spotted arsonists deliberately setting new fires in the tinder-dry grassland nearby.
The revelation came as the Lancashire Moorland wildfire — unusual in the normally wet-climate United Kingdom — was declared a major incident over the weekend, with hundreds of firefighters and soldiers tackling the flames in rotating shifts during the ongoing heatwave and water shortage.
A separate fire is burning at Saddleworth Moor, about 30 miles away, and another in Staffordshire.
LSE wildfire expert Thomas Smith told Breitbart London fires of this scale were avoidable and that key stakeholders had blocked controlled burns that could have prevented the fire from spreading. Controlled fires are often seen as bad for the environment – but a lack of proper fuel management has led to catastrophic environmental impacts in the case of this fire.
He said: ”A fire of this magnitude impacts regional air quality, reservoir water quality, and moorland wildlife. The heather has been allowed to grow tall and thick, leading to a more severe and widespread fire.”
A helicopter lifts water from a nearby reservoir to be dumped on the wildfire over the weekend / Getty Images
A soldier drags a hose to douse a wildfire on Saddleworth moor near Stalybridge, northwest England. A hundred soldiers and a military helicopter today joined firefighters battling a rare wildfire in northern England that could burn for weeks amid sustained hot weather, officials said. / OLI SCARFF/AFP/Getty Images
Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service spokesman Tony Crook told Sky News Monday that the discovery of arsonists deliberately working to make the wildfire worse was “absolutely heartbreaking and unbelievable”, stating those setting fires are putting “yourselves at risk, your community at risk, and also putting emergency workers at risk”.
“As they’ve been trying to extinguish the fire, people have been seen lighting other grass fires in the vicinity… Police are now attending that scene to try to apprehend those arsonists. It absolutely astounds me,” the spokesman said.
It is reported those arsonists were spotted by a police helicopter assisting in the coordination of fire-fighting efforts on Sunday. Despite initial optimism, the fire was being brought to heel last week, it has continued to spread and is being fed by high winds and dry conditions.
Members of the 4th Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland join firefighters as they prepare to fight a fire on Saddleworth moor near Stalybridge, northwest England / OLI SCARFF/AFP/Getty Images
A firefighter douses a wildfire on Saddleworth moor near Stalybridge, northwest England / OLI SCARFF/AFP/Getty Images
A crew member washes the eyes of a firefighter as the firefighting team continue to battle wildfires on Winter Hill in Lancashire, north west England on July 1, 2018 / LINDSEY PARNABY/AFP/Getty Images
The new fires were put out by two fire brigade engines which were sent to the wooded area where the arsonists had been working, the operation taking about two hours.
The BBC reports a 22-year-old male was arrested over the weekend on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life, but his arrest took place before the Sunday arsonists. He was later released under investigation.
Oliver JJ Lane is the editor of Breitbart London — Follow him on Twitter and Facebook