Firefighters say take extra care

Firefighters are pleading with members of the public to take extra care of themselves as the fire on the moors above Tameside and Saddleworth puts them under 'intense' pressure.

More than 100 have spent a fourth day battling the blaze. A total of 24 engines are there as well as specialist officers, units and troops.

In their latest update, they say they've made good progress and the fire is under control.

Head of Prevention for GMFRS, Area Manager Paul Etches, said:

“The moorland incidents in Tameside are unprecedented and they have required a significant amount of our resources over the past few days. We hugely appreciate the support from other services and agencies but this incident has put us under a great deal of pressure.

“Today we’ve also had a number of other significant incidents and I’d like to appeal to the public to take extra care to keep themselves, their families and their property safe – particularly with the hot weather that is expected to continue over the next few days.

“We want people to enjoy the sunshine and we know there will be lots of people having barbecues and enjoying a drink while they watch the football, but this can be a recipe for disaster. Please stay safe by ensuring barbecues are used safely and are fully extinguished before you go to bed, and please take care when cooking – don’t leave pans unattended and don’t drink and cook.

“Take care around the water – in this weather it might seem like a good idea to cool off in a local reservoir or lake but the water can be a lot cooler than you think and can send your body into shock. Even the strongest of swimmers can get into difficulties and there can be unknown hazards lurking underwater.

“And please only call us in an emergency as our control room operators are extremely busy.”

For further information about how to stay safe, please visit www.manchesterfire.gov.uk