Major Restoration Programme Begins On Fire-Ravaged Fylingdales Moor

A multi-million-pound recovery project is underway to restore thousands of hectares of the North York Moors following last summer's devastating Fylingdales wildfire.

Thousands of hectares of devastated peatland and moorland will undergo a major restoration following last summer's catastrophic Fylingdales wildfire.

Damaged habitats will be restored, 17 kilometres of firebreaks repaired, and public rights of way reopened using more than £5 million in Government funding.

The North York Moors National Park is leading the recovery project, alongside contributions from the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority.

Nature Minister Mary Creagh visited the site nearly a year after the blaze began, viewing the recovery efforts and meeting firefighters from the North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service.

Nature Minister Mary Creagh said:

"It's so upsetting really to come and see the devastation, but to hear the stories of heroism from fighting the fire last year, to understand how close this came to the MOD site in Fylingdales, and to hear about the people whose lives were impacted and to hear about Whitby essentially being cut off and having that huge plume of smoke.

So, really grateful to everyone who fought this fire and really happy that as Defra and as Government we've given the best part of £5 million in order to help with the restoration and rewetting of the bog that is up here."

She added:

"There's a whole series of complex problems that now need to be sorted out. We've got forestry down there where the edge has been burnt, and so the softer trees are starting to fall over in the wind.

This has been a working landscape for generations and now we need to think about how it's going to be restored to keep what's here in good condition and to work out what we do with what's been lost.

So thinking about how we protect the roads, how we protect the MOD site at Fylingdales, and how we protect local communities is forefront of my mind."

The blaze, which became the largest in the history of the National Park, was declared a major incident on August 12 last year.

At its peak, the fire covered around 20 square kilometres, forcing key road closures and threatening critical infrastructure at RAF Fylingdales.

Active firefighting continued until September 23, when the focus shifted to clean-up operations.

Mary Creagh explained the unprecedented nature of the blaze:

"One of the learnings from this is that we've seen wildfire creates its own micro climate, creates the conditions where embers can jump 45 ft across a road, things that have never been in any firefighters manual.

This is a totally unique, incredibly challenging fire and its impact and consequences are going to be felt here for several years to come."

Scarborough and Whitby MP Alison Hume also highlighted the ongoing efforts to protect the area.

Alison Hume said:

"It is still a working landscape because the graziers use it for their sheep and really pleased to see the new fences going in. So work has started. And of course, when we build back better, we've got to build in wildfire resilience."

She previously noted the importance of learning from the disaster:

"There are important lessons to learn from this terrible wildfire. After establishing the APPG for Wildfire Prevention, I am determined to continue working with partners to strengthen our resilience, because unfortunately wildfires like this are likely to become more common and we must be prepared.

Thanks to the bravery of North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service, supported by local farmers, gamekeepers and crews from across the country, no lives, homes or critical infrastructure at RAF Fylingdales were lost. It was a real team effort."

Immediate recovery was supported by nearly £300,000 from the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority.

This initial investment allowed specialists to protect fragile historic features and temporarily relocate livestock.

The funding is now supporting trials of cutting-edge tracking technology to safely reintroduce animals to the moor.

Director of Conservation and Climate Change at the North York Moors National Park Authority, Briony Fox, said:

"The speed of this funding made all the difference. Having that commitment in place so early meant we could get specialists on the ground straight away, when every week mattered for the historic features and habitats at greatest risk.

It has also let us think beyond the immediate emergency, to the longer-term recovery of the moor's peat and grazing systems, which are just as important for its future and for our net zero ambitions."

Environment and Climate Portfolio Holder for the Combined Authority, Councillor Jenny Kent, said:

"It was inspiring to be able to show our Minister for Nature Mary Creagh MP the vital protection and restoration work already achieved on some of our most sensitive ecological and archaeological sites, made possible with Mayoral funding.

There is much more to do, but we're lucky to have a wealth of expertise in our region dealing with the devastation that the wildfires have caused. Huge thanks to all those working on this vital restoration project."

Investigators from North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue determined the blaze was ignited by people cooking food with an open flame.

Consequently, Mayor David Skaith and Deputy Mayor Jo Coles have written to retailers, urging them to halt the sale of disposable barbecues.

Reflecting on the future, Mary Creagh said:

"The Fylingdales wildfire was an unprecedented event that caused serious and lasting damage to one of England’s most treasured landscapes. This funding will help bring the moorland back to life - restoring the deep peat that stores carbon, supports rare wildlife, and protects communities downstream.

Resilient, rewetted peatland is our best natural defence against wildfires in the future, and I am determined that this landscape recovers stronger than before."