Firefighters battle through wall of smoke and ash on moors as mayor demands action if arson is proven
Video report by ITV News Correspondent Damon Green
Firefighters continue to battle through a hazy wall of smoke and ash on the Lancashire moors as mayor demands action if arson proves to be behind the fire.
More than 20 fire engines are at the scene of the blaze after the firefighting operation resumed at dawn.
Speaking to ITV News, Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham addressed rumours that the fire may have been started deliberately.
"If the evidence exists of people doing that then I would want to see the full weight of the law be thrown in their direction, because to add to the challenge of the fire service in these most difficult of circumstances, there is no justification for that whatsoever."
Crews remained at Winter Hill near Bolton overnight after a “large-scale attack” was launched against the “rapidly developing, aggressive fire” on Sunday.
Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service (LFRS) said it had increased the number of fire engines at the scene from 17 to 22 as the full-scale operation began again at first light.
“These fire engines are continuing to focus on hotspots around the 8km (5mi) site,” the fire service tweeted.
This Lancashire blaze comes after a fire on nearby Saddleworth Moor which started last Sunday.
The army have been brought to the scene to assist fire crews in tackling the flames.
Seven square miles of land between Tameside and Oldham were alight, blanketing the Greater Manchester region and beyond in a cloud of smoke and ash.
The dry, hot weather has created ideal conditions for these wildfires, causing them to spread at a faster rate.
A major incident was declared on Saturday after two large-scale Lancashire moorland fires merged due to increasing wind speed.
Helicopters were brought in as the operation sought to douse smouldering hot spots and soak nearby woodland to avoid fire taking hold.
LFRS has been assisted at the Winter Hill blaze by Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS), which itself has been tackling a large-scale wildfire on Saddleworth Moor.
Paul Etches, head of prevention at GMFRS, warned the moorland fires were “not going away” and it would take “many more days of intense sweat and effort” to extinguish them.
“Our firefighters are tired but optimistic that we continue to make good progress,” he said.
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The fire near Stalybridge, Tameside, began on June 24 and reignited the following day before rapidly spreading.
GMFRS tweeted that it had been an “extraordinary weekend”.
“The incident at Tameside rolls into a second week, while we continue to work with @LancashireFRS in Bolton,” it added.
Fire brigades from across the country, including from Tyne and Wear, the South West, Nottinghamshire, Humberside and Warwickshire travelled to the North West to assist with the effort.
However they are working in hot conditions with “no significant rain forecast this week”, according to Met Office forecaster Helen Roberts.
She said: “The trend is for dry and very warm weather, which is far from ideal. Thunderstorms in the South West are unlikely to reach that far north.
“On Wednesday, there is the potential for showers in that vicinity but it could be a one-off, isolated and unlikely to hit the area.”
“Thursday is similar and any showers would be isolated and fleeting. There is no significant rain forecast this week.”
Meanwhile Lancashire Police said it has had to deal with “reckless and dangerous” behaviour by members of the public which is hampering emergency efforts.
Some people, determined to get shots of the fire on their mobile phones, have blocked access roads for emergency vehicles by driving to the scene, while others have been flying drones over the moorland.