Government Denies Compensation for Fylingdales Moor Wildfire Victims as Recovery Efforts Continue

The government has refused compensation for businesses and farmers affected by the Fylingdales Moor wildfire, prompting local authorities to step in with limited support and launch a major environmental recovery plan.

Nine months after the Fylingdales Moor wildfire was declared a major incident, the York and North Yorkshire Local Resilience Forum has confirmed that central government will not provide compensation to the local businesses, farmers, and landowners impacted by the blaze.

The forum stated that partners and wider stakeholders had spent months lobbying the government for funds to compensate those affected by the worst wildfire in North Yorkshire's history. They had also sought money to reinstate miles of firebreaks excavated at speed to contain the flames, and to fund extensive moorland restoration.

A spokesperson for the York and North Yorkshire Local Resilience Forum said:

"Our position has been that, had this been a flooding incident, a government framework would have unlocked funds, and we have, and will continue to make the case for wildfires to be treated in the same way."

Following the government's refusal, North Yorkshire Council announced it will work with its funding delivery partner, the Two Ridings Community Foundation, to provide one-off limited support. This assistance is aimed at businesses that were forced to close and evacuate by the Fire and Rescue Service due to the danger to life risk. The support is being distributed via the North Yorkshire Extreme Weather Business Support Fund from Friday, 29 May, with details discussed on a case-by-case basis.

Despite the setback in business compensation, progress is being made regarding environmental recovery funds. The North York Moors National Park Authority is continuing to work with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and Natural England to secure funding for the restoration of land on Fylingdales Moor.

The forum noted that while confirmation is awaited, it is understood that the government department is looking to provide substantial support. This will be combined with match funding secured by the National Park Authority from other sources, including Section 106 allocations.

To facilitate the restoration works, the National Park Authority is opening a tender exercise. The work will cover moorland restoration, including erosion mitigation, and firebreak reinstatement. The deadline for tender submissions is 5 pm on Friday, 19 June 2026. The authority is particularly keen to encourage local contractors to engage with the opportunities.

Outlining the vision for the area's future, a spokesperson for the York and North Yorkshire Local Resilience Forum said:

"The recovery programme has been carefully designed to ensure the moorland continues to function as the vibrant, working landscape it has always been. This includes supporting a mosaic of habitats, sustaining grazing and farming activity, and protecting the historic environment features that make this place so distinctive."

It is hoped that common graziers, who lost access to land and feed sources for their livestock due to the destruction, will be able to access financial support for their own environmental recovery efforts.

In addition to the physical restoration, a new wildfire awareness campaign has been launched. The National Park Authority is leading the partnership, working alongside North Yorkshire Council, Visit North Yorkshire, Forestry England, North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service, and the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority.

Detailing the goals of the upcoming safety initiative, a spokesperson for the National Park Authority said:

"The campaign, entitled 'Don't Spark Disaster', will feature impactful educational messages to potential visitors and residents, while also providing businesses and communities the opportunity to circulate the messaging via print and digital toolkits."

An appeal has also been issued for visual materials to support the campaign. A spokesperson for the North York Moors National Park Authority said:

"NYMNPA is looking for further images of last year's wildfire to help with the campaign visuals. If you know anyone who took photos or videos of the fire as it was taking place, especially showing flames, please get in touch at press@northyorkmoors.org.uk."

Meanwhile, Forestry England has begun a targeted, multi-year programme of work to restore firebreaks and rehabilitate damaged environments within Sneaton Forest and Langdale Forest. The work will be delivered over the next three years, with first-year costs estimated at approximately £215,000, funded through existing allocations from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

The forestry recovery work will prioritise the reinstatement and improvement of firebreaks to strengthen resilience against future wildfires. It also includes restoring sensitive conservation sites, such as Sites of Special Scientific Interest, and a programme of tree restocking across areas of young woodland impacted by the fire. This will help secure sustainable timber production while supporting natural flood management by reducing surface water run-off and limiting soil erosion.

A detailed report looking at how agencies responded to the major incident has been produced by the North Yorkshire Local Resilience Forum. This document will be published next month alongside a debrief document from the North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service.