Police have issued a warning ahead of the potentially unprecedented heat wave following a series of wildfires in the wastelands near Manchester that they now believe were deliberately started.
The fire started last weekend and ravaged part of Saddleworth Moor near a car park near the Dovestone Reservoir.
On Saturday, Greater Manchester (GMP) police said a joint investigation with the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) has established, so far, that there were five fire seats with accelerator tracks found at three of the seats.
Supervisor Phillip Hutchinson, of GMP Oldham district, said there is an order to protect public space in Saddleworth Moor and that it is a crime to light fires in the area, including barbecues. Failure to comply with the order may result in a fine of £ 1,000.
“Investigations are underway to identify those responsible for the outbreak of these fires that could have had a devastating impact on the land, wildlife and residents living nearby. I ask anyone with information to share it with us as fast as possible.
“Only days before this fire we attended an event during which we talked to the public about how to use the area in the summer. Unfortunately, during this event, our officers saw people posing a risk, so three fixed penalty notices were issued.
“I ask citizens who frequent the area and residents living in the vicinity to report anyone suspected of planning an illegal barbecue or committing any other crime.”
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Jim Wilmott, manager of the GMFRS group in Bury, Oldham and Rochdale, said: “It’s hard to understand why someone wants to light a fire deliberately in the wastelands, but unfortunately it happens and when conditions are so dry, they grow quickly and easily. control.
“For those who think this is a good idea, you should know that it not only destroys precious mounds, but also endangers wildlife and local people, causing a major disruption and making our resources often unable to witness other serious incidents. ”
Anyone with information should contact GMP or the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Emergency services across the country have highlighted fires started by arsonists in recent days.
The Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service said on Friday that within seven days they were called in to deal with 66 outdoor fires and urged the public to dispose of their rubbish responsibly, not to make barbecues in open spaces and do not start fires.
The Essex County Fire and Rescue Service said two acres of forest and undergrowth were damaged by the second fire in a week on Friday that concluded it was deliberately started.
On Facebook, a fire department spokesman said, “Two acres of forest and undergrowth in Heybridge have been damaged after a fire. The cause of the fire has been recorded as intentional.”
The Essex County Fire and Rescue Service said it typically sees an increase in deliberate fires during the summer months.
He added: “You can help us prevent them by contacting FireStoppers. Managed by CrimeStoppers, FireStoppers is an anonymous way to report what you know about the deliberate start of a fire in your area.
“It’s not to report any guilt, it’s for us to prevent the fires from happening.”
The Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service also urged citizens to be alert and report any suspicious behavior to police.