Firefighters are now in their sixth day of responding to the moorland wildfire at Dovestone and their third day tackling a separate wildfire in the Swineshaw area
Crews have continued working throughout the night and into today, making steady progress across both incidents.
Today’s operations continue to remain focused on containing the fires, reducing hotspots and preventing further spread across the moorland.
Paul Fearnhead, Incident Commander at GMFRS, said: “Our firefighters and partner agencies have been working tirelessly over the past week in extremely challenging conditions, day and night. Much of the fireground is deep within remote and inaccessible moorland, which can only be reached on foot, with specialist vehicles, or with support from the air.
“While there are encouraging signs of progress, both incidents remain active and continue to require a significant multi-agency response to tackle these wildfires. Although wind speeds have eased since yesterday and earlier in the week, resulting smoke still remains a challenge and may still affect nearby communities. Firefighting operations are likely to continue for some time.
“We would like to thank local communities for their continued patience, support and understanding. The best way people can help is by avoiding the affected areas, keeping access routes clear and following any public safety and health advice.”
Public health advice issued in earlier updates from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) remains unchanged and should continue to be followed by anyone experiencing the effects of smoke from these fires.
Residents are advised to continue to avoid areas affected by smoke from the wildfire where possible. If smoke is visible in your area, stay indoors with doors and windows closed, and follow updates and advice from local authorities and media.
The UKHSA state adults and children with pre-existing respiratory conditions such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or heart or lung problems should continue to follow existing health advice. They also advise that everyone is to take sensible precautions and avoid especially strenuous outdoor activities when smoke is present, adding that it is also important to remember that the human nose is very sensitive to odours, and they can cause nuisance possibly leading to stress and anxiety. Some people may also experience symptoms such as nausea, headaches or dizziness, as a reaction to odours even when the substances that cause those smells are themselves not harmful to health.
