East Lancashire wildfire: Fire service tackle huge Bacup blaze

Images from the scene show a huge amount of environmental damage and harm done to local wildlife.

Lancashire Fire and Rescue's Wildlife Burn Team, based in Bacup, are currently on the scene and are using one of the departments Haglund fire engines.

With @manchesterfire we are appealing for your help to protect our moorlands from wildfires, like the one below that crews from @BacupFire & @RawtenstallFire tackled in Bacup today ➡️ https://t.co/xE5b1G9nsy pic.twitter.com/N5PGkYtvGY

— Lancashire Fire (@LancashireFRS) April 17, 2020

Service Group Manager Shaun Walton said: "We are making good progress at the Bacup wildfire and now damping down hotspots whilst managing a control line from an anchor point, another potential deliberate wildfire with environmental impact."

As yet the cause of the fire is unknown but officials have been warning over the last few days about the dangers of wildfires caused by public carelessness and littering of inflammable materials.

Members of the public are advised to avoid the area.