Urgent plea amid growing worries about wildfires in the North West
The Woodland Trust is urging people to take their litter with them and not use disposable BBQs when visiting the local beauty spots
The Woodland Trust have issued an urgent plea to people across the North West not to do anything that could risk starting a fire if they’re visiting local beauty spots.
They’re urging us not to leave litter or use disposable BBQ’s in a bid to prevent a repeat 2018 when a fire ripped across Winter Hill near Chorley killing 2,000 trees.
Just last night, Lancashire Fire and Rescue were called out to a grass fire in the sand dunes at Lytham St Annes.
Paul Bunton is from the trust, he told us the effects of recent wildfires have been devastating:
"It only takes the one incident like that and it really does take a long time to recover.
"Now the school holidays have started you have to extra vigilant really.
"There's a lot of wildlife species - it's not nice for people as well - you've got smoke, and ash and really bad air quality. It'll take years for these habitats to recover.
"We don't have people on the ground at all of our wood. These woodlands, some of them are very old ancient woodlands, they've taken hundreds of years to develop.
"You can damage an area very quickly.
"If we all have a bit more responsibility then it all helps to keep it that way for everyone to enjoy.
"These fires are ripping through areas at high speed - especially at Winter Hill
"When the wind picks up it can be incredibly dangerous obviously for the people who are there but the wildlife on site didn't have a chance to get away .
"There's nothing better than sitting under a tree on a hot day but don't light fires and save your BBQs for at home when you're in the garden."