Leave the BBQ at home: the risk of fire on already tinder dry grass will reach ‘high’ this weekend.

As the warm dry spell continues, the risk of fire on already tinder dry grass and moorland in parts of the National Park will reach ‘high’ this weekend, according to the Met Office.

It is more important than ever to respect the land and not to use barbecues in the countryside.

David Butterworth, Chief Executive of the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority, said: “With the National Park proving a popular place for people to get some exercise and fresh air, it’s important to leave the barbecues at home. Wildfires put unnecessary strain on emergency services as they work to combat the COVID-19 coronavirus. Nobody should be lighting fires or barbecues in the countryside and everyone should be taking their litter home to reduce the instances of fire”.

The National Park Authority will be updating the status of its car parks online throughout the weekend. Anyone planning to drive to the National Park should check the car park status webpage before and during their journey.

Experience of recent weekends indicates that car parks in the south of the National Park - especially Malham and Horton-in-Ribblesdale - fill up early and quickly. We would therefore recommend, in addition to regularly checking the status of car parks, that people consider using car parks and walks in other parts of the National Park.