Calls for relief schemes to be extended after North Yorkshire wildfires
The MP for Scarborough and Whitby has called for the Government relief schemes to be extended
Calls have been made for Government relief schemes to be extended in the aftermath of devastating wildfires in North Yorkshire.
According to Alison Hume, the MP for Scarborough and Whitby, the Government should make grants available following fires such as the blaze on Langdale Moor last Summer.
In August, a major incident was declared when a fire broke out on the moor, near RAF Fylingdales. At its height the blaze covered 10 sq miles (25 sq km).
Ms Hume has been pressing for relief schemes, which are currently available for flood-hit areas, to be extended to cover wildfires.
Speaking in a House of Commons debate on Thursday, January 15, she said: “Last summer, my constituency suffered the devastating Langdale Moor wildfire.
“The local community, including farmers and businesses, stepped in to help firefighters battle the enormous blaze, which at its height covered 10 square miles.
“Unlike in the case of flooding, though, there is no clear route to Government grants for wildfire events. Does the Leader of the House agree that we need to look urgently at widening the farming recovery fund and flood recovery framework to cover wildfires?”
Alan Campbell MP, Leader of the House of Commons, thanked Ms Hume for raising the issue and thanked “the local community for their work in tackling that devastating fire”.
He said: “We are funding a national resilience wildfire adviser so that we can increase resilience, and I will draw this matter to the attention of the relevant Minister.
“If my honourable friend wishes to meet the Minister and raise this example, I will try to facilitate that.”
Recently, the North York Moors National Park Authority (NYMNPA) said there remained a risk of uncovered unexploded ordnance after the blaze, which lasted more than a month, exposed “historic military debris”.
Public rights of way across the moor reopened at the beginning of December but the authority urged people to remain vigilant.
A spokesperson said: “While most items are harmless, there is still a risk that unexploded ordnance remains present. Disturbing the ground is dangerous, please keep to the path and remain vigilant.”