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Only takes a spark to start a wildfire, crews warn
Fire services across Yorkshire have launched a joint campaign warning that disposable barbecues and open campfires risk sparking devastating moorland wildfires, after 342 such fires were recorded across England and Wales since January. The warning follows a record-breaking 2025 wildfire season nationally, and officials say even a single spark can smoulder unseen in peat before erupting into a major blaze hours later, putting landscapes, wildlife and communities at risk while straining emergency services.
West Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service recorded 31 wildfire incidents by the end of May 2025, its highest January-to-May total in six years, while national data shows 1,006 wildfires occurred during 2025 overall, surpassing the previous record of 994 in 2022. One of the worst incidents was the Langdale Moor fire in North Yorkshire last August, which prompted a "major incident" declaration on 13 August, grew to around 10 sq miles (25 sq km) at its peak, and was later found to have been caused by a naked flame from a campfire or gas burner. The four Yorkshire fire services are running a #BeMoorAware campaign this summer, urging people to take picnics rather than barbecues, remove litter and never light open fires on the moors.
In short
- Yorkshire fire services warn barbecues and campfires risk sparking wildfires
- 2025 was England and Wales's busiest wildfire season on record
- Langdale Moor fire, caused by a naked flame, hit 10 sq miles
Explained simply
Moorland wildfires across England have become increasingly problematic. These fires are commonly started by barbecues and campfires that are either poorly extinguished or abandoned entirely, and once ignited they can spread rapidly across moorland, affecting wildlife, landscapes and communities.
The frequency of these fires has risen significantly. England and Wales have recorded 342 moorland fires since January, following 2025's record of 1,006 wildfires nationally, a figure that surpassed the previous national record of 994 in 2022.
A significant risk lies in how these fires develop, as a single spark can lie undetected in peat for hours before erupting suddenly into a large blaze. The August 2025 Langdale Moor fire in North Yorkshire, which covered around 10 square miles at its peak and was caused by a naked flame from a campfire or gas burner, demonstrates how quickly such fires can escalate and the damage they can cause.