Countryside Alliance comment on the Marsden Moor fire

An 'apocalyptic' blaze on Marsden Moor in West Yorkshire has once again shown the value of the controlled heather burning associated with grouse moor management. Marsden Moor is owned by the National Trust, and it is likely that the National Trust's policy of not burning the heather has resulted in a dangerously high fuel load, resulting in a heightened risk of wildfire and potentially exacerbating wildfires that do occur.

It is crucial that policy makers understand the difference between controlled heather burning, and wildfire. Among other benefits, controlled burns are vital in preventing wildfire, by reducing the fuel load and creating fire breaks. A wildfire is hotter than controlled burning, causing far greater environmental harm, and spreads randomly and more widely.

Natural England are under pressure from groups such as Friends of the Earth to restrict the practice of heather burning. However, such restrictions have ramifications not only for the wildlife that are threatened by wildfire, but for public health and the public purse. Last year a wildfire on neighbouring Saddleworth Moor was attributed to a lack of controlled heather burning, leaving a £1 million hole in budget of Greater Manchester fire service.

The increasing frequency of wildfires across a range of habitats (Ashdown Forest, Arthurs Seat, Llangollen, as well as Marsden Moor, all caught fire this week) proves the need to keep controlled burning as a viable tool in the land manager's tool box.