Council aims to reduce wildfire risk in the Moorlands

Wildfires play havoc with the environment - especially wildlife during the breeding season. The recent, exceptional dry weather has seen upland parts of the country impacted by destructive blazes that prove challenging for fire and rescue services.

Closer to home, wildfires have ravaged the Peak District on both sides of the Staffordshire/Derbyshire border.

In the Moorlands, the Council is considering banning the lighting of fires, barbecues, fireworks and sky lanterns to help prevent wildfires at high-risk locations in the District.

In March this year alone, fire fighters attended three incidents and the service has seen a big spike in concerned calls about the possibility of wildfires during the current hot weather.

Staffordshire Moorlands District Council is now proposing to introduce a Public Space Protection Order which includes measures to reduce the risk of wildfires in the area.

Cabinet Member for Communities, Bill Cawley, said: "Wildfires are devastating for our communities and environment - as has been starkly brought into focus by the fires in America earlier this year and, more locally, the recent big fire in the Goyt Valley.

"Unfortunately, they are often caused by the careless or thoughtless behaviour of people who are spending leisure time in the very landscapes the fires destroy. This is something we all need to be concerned about and it's up to each of us to ensure we are not behaving in a way that heightens the possibility of fires starting.

"We want to do what we can to reduce the risk of human activity causing wildfires which is why we're proposing this ban. Before we make a final decision, we're inviting people to share their views by completing a short online survey and I would encourage everyone to get involved."

Fires damage wildlife and biodiversity - including the loss of grazing land and damage to water catchments and supplies. They can also result in substantial carbon loss which has a direct impact on climate change, something the Council has pledged to address.

Councillor Nigel Yates, Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Environment, said: "The environmental impact of wildfires lasts years - the areas where the fires occur take a very long time to recover and any conservation and restoration work that has been carried out is lost putting us right back to the start again.

"At a time when nature is in crisis, we all have a role to play in protecting what we have and encouraging further recovery. That means respecting the places that we enjoy visiting and spending time in which is why the Council wants to put this order in place and I hope people will support us with this."

Find out more and complete the online survey.

The survey runs until Monday 26 May. Anyone unable to complete the online survey can call the Council's customer contact centre on 0345 605 3010.

Published on 14 May 2025