Unexploded ordnance creating additional issues for fire crews tackling blaze near RAF Fylingdales

National financial and firefighting assistance will be delivered to help tackle the blaze on Langdale Moor, where a major incident has been declared.

Emergency services are set to receive national support to help tackle the fire that has been blazing near RAF Fylingdales since August 11.
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The number of appliances at the scene is set to be doubled, said Jonathan Dyson, Chief Fire Officer of the Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service.
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He also revealed that unexploded ordnance (UXO) was creating additional issues in an area that was previously used as a tank training ground during the Second World War.
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More than a dozen explosions have so far been reported, and fire crews have had to adapt to “defensive” tactics in areas that still have UXOs.
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Jonathan Dyson, Chief Fire Officer, said: “I have made a request for national assets to be deployed to the area in case the fire continues to progress and to ensure that we can maintain tactics and welfare for those involved in duties. “Now, 10 firefighting appliances will come with their own crews, and fire and rescue services will then mobilise a support officer with each of their own appliances.”
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The request for 10 additional firefighting appliances is “currently being processed by the National Resilience Team”.
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However, he added that no requests for national military support had been made and that a scenario requiring such assistance was not envisaged.
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On Wednesday afternoon, the North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service said it already had 10 appliances at the scene, as well as a helicopter, and was continuing to work with partners.
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Locals have been advised that if they need to be evacuated, they will be contacted. “If you do live in areas near the fire, you might want to consider preparing a grab bag in case you need to leave at short notice.”
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On Tuesday, some areas had been evacuated, including the Grouse Hill Caravan Park, but no property has reportedly yet been involved in the fire.
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Commenting on the issues posed by UXOs, the chief fire officer said: “Around 24 hours into the incident, we were made aware that part of the land that we were firefighting on was an old World War Two tank training area, and therefore, they had the potential to have unexploded ordnance underneath or on the site.
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He added: “We’ve had reports of more than 18 ordnance explosions within there, noting that they can be of various sizes and various weights. The MOD has been working closely with us on this as Fylindales is part of the national critical infrastructure.”
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Mr Dyson said that the MOD had been “fantastic partners to work with, and they’ve been a great support in the overall firefighting effort”.
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David Skaith, the Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, said he was able to announce that national funding support would also be made available.
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Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday afternoon (Aug 27), he noted: “This sort of response comes at a great cost, and we are working closely at the national level with the government, and have been doing so for the past week or so.”
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The mayor highlighted the importance of following the latest advice from the Fire and Rescue Service and NYC.
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“The county is still open, but there are areas that will be closed around the fire, so people should bear that in mind when coming to visit the area.”
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