Man sentenced to 1 year in prison after fire on Marsden Moor
The fire was declared a major incident with over 100 firefighters needed to tackle it
A man has been sentenced to a custodial term of one year in prison after a fire on Marsden Moor, which was declared a major incident with over 100 firefighters needed to tackle it.
28 year old Viktor Riedly headed up to the moor on the evening of Sunday 25th April 2021 and lit a firework which went off and caused the fire.
Leeds Crown Court heard how he tried to extinguish the fire but it soon spread out of control.
It was declared an incident on the morning of Wednesday 28 April by West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue.
West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service Area Manager Scott Donegan said:
“We as a service very much welcome the sentence handed out today and hope it reminds others not to start fires on our moorland. This fire caused huge damage to the environment on the moor and required a large response from West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue.
“Fires like these are the reason we have Public Space Protection Orders banning flammable items like fireworks, barbeques and fires on moorland – they can have a devastating impact on the brilliant spaces we are lucky enough to have in West Yorkshire.”
The fire caused widespread damage to Marsden Moor, which is a site of special scientific interest and destroyed precious peatland habitat and harmed wildlife including ground nesting birds.
The fire cost the emergency services £500,000 in the damage caused.
Recovery work following the fire is underway, with 65,000 sphagnum moss plugs planted across Marsden Moor over autumn and winter. The moss helps to re-wet the moorland, reducing the risk of future fires. It also helps to restore peat and capture carbon.
The ban on BBQs and fires on Marsden Moor runs all year round and is part of a public spaces protection order (PSPO) and the fire and rescue team is reminding people not to bring flammable objects onto moorland.