ONE year since the devastating Marsden Moor fire the team who look after the estate are bracing themselves for more outbreaks.

This day last year fire spread across more than two square miles of protected moorland, killing wildlife.

West Yorkshire’s firefighters dealt with an average of 26 grass fires every single day throughout April last year.

And with the warm weather staff and volunteers at Marsden Moor National Trust have gone through their fire action plan so they can respond quickly and efficiently to any fire.

Judith Patrick, property manager with the National Trust for Marsden Moor, said: “I would urge any member of the public seeing a fire on the moors to call the fire brigade immediately and tell the operator that it is a moorland fire.

“We don’t undertake any burning regimes on National Trust property so it will be a genuine incident and it is illegal to burn on any moorland after April 15 anyway due to nesting birds.

“We were overwhelmed by the local public support we received last year after our devastating fire on Close Moss, adjacent to the A62, and hope the public will continue to support us by acting as our eyes and ears.”

It is illegal to ride an off road bike or vehicle across the moors and culprits risk hefty fines for criminal damage as well as potential seizure of their vehicle.

The National Trust has been working with Natural England and the police to ensure processes are in place to pursue a prosecution.

Judith added: “It’s not easy to say whether the moor has recovered from last year.

“Potentially it could have been much worse, we’ve done some work on there trying to encourage the regeneration of heather, but it’s a long process.”

She said that sunny weather encourages people to enjoy the moors, but not everyone treats it with respect.

“What happens at Marsden is typical with what’s happening in the Peak District National Park, it’s not unique to Marsden. But I think we suffer from it because we have got major routes from major conurbations running through the moorland,” she added.

No arrests were made after last year’s fire but if people see off road vehicles on the moor call police on 101 with as much detail as possible about the location and bike. In the event of a fire call 999.

Last weekend more than 90 firefighters tackled a moorland blaze in Calderdale which consumed more than four miles of countryside.

Ian Bitcon, acting director of fire safety for West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service, said such fires are difficult to tackle because they are often in inaccessible locations for fire appliances with little or no water supply.

He said: “The sunshine is a welcome sight this spring, but the warmer weather dries the countryside, increasing the risk of fire.

“In the majority of cases these fires are not life-threatening but they can be devastating to farmland, public open spaces and wildlife, which can take years to recover.

“Fire safety does not stop when you leave the house. Many of these fires outdoors result from carelessness and I would ask anyone who lives in or visits the countryside to help us protect our natural heritage and follow some basic safety advice.”