Cause of latest moorland fire 'not yet known'

The cause of a large moorland fire that developed during this week's spring heatwave is not yet known, according to investigators.

The National Trust, which owns the land, said it was supervising work at Marsden Moor, near Huddersfield, following the wildfire near March Haigh Reservoir on Thursday.

One crew from West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (WYFRS) remained at the scene on Friday and staff from wildlife charity the RSPB were also present.

Station commander Chris Bell said there was no current indication of the cause but police would investigate if they "deemed it appropriate".

He added: "These incidents are particularly challenging for our crews.

"We have invested heavily in getting the right equipment, but they are massively labour intensive and difficult to manage."

Firefighters used beaters and blowers to combat the fire and the public are being asked to stay away from the area.

A spokesperson added: "We'd like to thank all our partner agencies and the public for their help and patience while we tackled this fire."

In late March, more than a dozen fire crews tackled a moorland blaze measuring an area of six miles (10km) by three miles (5km) in a similar area.

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