Photo: Minister for Nature Mary Creagh with Cllr Jenny Kent, Environment and Climate Portfolio Holder YNYCA and Scarborough and Whitby MP Alison Hume on the site of the wildfire.
A major programme to restore and protect thousands of hectares of the North York Moors devastated by the Fylingdales wildfire last summer is getting underway.
The North York Moors National Park is leading the recovery project, backed with more than £5 million in funding from the Government, as well as York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority and other partners organisations.
The funding will be used to restore damaged peatland habitats, repair 17 kilometres of firebreaks that were dug to stop the spread, reinstate the public rights of way that were closed off and build resilience in the moors to future wildfires.
Nearly one year on from the start of the fire, Nature Minister Mary Creagh MP visited the site to see how the National Park is using the Government funding and talk to some of the firefighters from North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service who tackled the blaze.
Cllr Jenny Kent, Environment and Climate Portfolio Holder for YNYCA, said:
“It was inspiring to be able to show our Minister for Nature Mary Creagh MP the vital protection and restoration work already achieved on some of our most sensitive ecological and archaeological sites, made possible with Mayoral funding.
"There is much more to do, but we're lucky to have a wealth of expertise in our region dealing with the devastation that the wildfires have caused. Huge thanks to all those working on this vital restoration project.”
Nature Minister Mary Creagh said:
“The Fylingdales wildfire was an unprecedented event that caused serious and lasting damage to one of England’s most treasured landscapes. This funding will help bring the moorland back to life - restoring the deep peat that stores carbon, supports rare wildlife, and protects communities downstream.
“Resilient, rewetted peatland is our best natural defence against wildfires in the future, and I am determined that this landscape recovers stronger than before.”
Alison Hume MP for Scarborough and Whitby said:
“There are important lessons to learn from this terrible wildfire. After establishing the APPG for Wildfire Prevention, I am determined to continue working with partners to strengthen our resilience, because unfortunately wildfires like this are likely to become more common and we must be prepared.
"Thanks to the bravery of North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service, supported by local farmers, gamekeepers and crews from across the country, no lives, homes or critical infrastructure at RAF Fylingdales were lost. It was a real team effort."
The Fylingdales Moor wildfire, which was declared a major incident on August 12 last year, was the biggest fire in the North York Moors National Park's history. At its peak, the fire measured around 20 square kilometres and forced the closure of key roads.
It was not until September 23 when the major incident status was de-escalated with active firefighting turning to clean-up and long-term restoration planning.
In the following weeks York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority gave nearly £300,000 to support the recovery process. The National Park has credited the speed of that investment with enabling it to protect historic and fragile features of the moors.
The funding also supported the temporary relocation of stock away from fire and is now funding trials of cutting-edge tracking technology that is now supporting the careful reintroduction of stock to the moor, which is crucial to recovery.
Briony Fox, Director of Conservation and Climate Change, North York Moors National Park Authority, said:
"The speed of this funding made all the difference. Having that commitment in place so early meant we could get specialists on the ground straight away, when every week mattered for the historic features and habitats at greatest risk.
"It has also let us think beyond the immediate emergency, to the longer-term recovery of the moor's peat and grazing systems, which are just as important for its future and for our net zero ambitions."
North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue found that the Fylingdales wildfire was started by people cooking food with an open flame.
As a result, Mayor David Skaith and Deputy Mayor Jo Coles have written to retailers calling on them to stop selling disposable barbecues.
The Mayor and Deputy Mayor will continue to ensure that restoration, protection and prevention of wildfires is a priority for the Government in the face of increasing risk.