Army could remain on Saddleworth Moor during weekend as fire rages

Fire chiefs want the Army to extend its stay on Saddleworth Moor through the weekend to help keep control of moorland blazes in the area.

Scottish soldiers from the 100-strong A Company of the 4th Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland, known as the Highlanders, joined forces on Thursday with more than 100 firefighters when they were deployed to the scene in Greater Manchester for an initial 48-hour deployment.

Seven square miles of land between Tameside and Oldham had gone up in flames and blanketed the Greater Manchester region and beyond in smoke and ash.

On Friday the fires on the peat-embedded terrain and dry shrub land were contained but could take weeks to be fully extinguished with no prospect of rain in the next week.

With possible changes in wind conditions and stretched resources throughout the region in mind, Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, wants to extend the Army presence for another three days.

He said:

GMFRS acting chief fire officer Dawn Docx said:

Air quality in the affected areas continue to be monitored by Public Health England and Tameside Council with people continuing to be urged to keeps windows and doors shut.

Meanwhile some 30 miles away, fire crews in neighbouring Lancashire remain at the scene of a grass fire on moorland on Winter Hill near Rivington which broke out on Thursday afternoon.

A total of 80 firefighters, including crews from Greater Manchester and Cumbria, battled to contain the fire and ensure the flames did not spread to communications masts nearby.

Lancashire Police said later that a 22-year-old man from Bolton has been arrested on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life.