Marsden Moor Fire: Fire department say incident is "closed" after working overnight

West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service have said that the fire on Marsden Moor has been put out.

The blaze began on Sunday evening when it was brought under control by crews working through the night before reigniting on Monday afternoon and continuing to burn throughout Tuesday.

At the height of the fire over 70 firefighters, specialist wildfire units and a helicopter were dealing with the incident.

The fire had a two-mile flame front on Tuesday afternoon and was affecting an area of two square miles.

An investigation is underway into the cause of the fire but the National Trust, who own the land, have said it was started by people.

Area Manager for West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service, Scott Donegan, said: "This has been a  complex operation across a large area of land, and we’re pleased to say that the incident has now been closed. 

"Over the 60 hours that we had a large presence at the scene, our crews and all of the partners who were involved in this response worked tirelessly to bring the fire under control, protect the communities around the Moor and try to protect as much of our wonderful landscape as possible."

The moor was also on fire in 2019 which caused heavy damage to wildlife in the area, the fire service has said that the land will take years to recover.

The area is known for its breeding bird habitat and is a popular site for rare curlews. It is also home to short-eared owl and mountain hares.

Scott added: "We talk regularly about the importance of people being vigilant and being responsible while on the moorland and this incident shows the devastating impact that moorland fires can have."