Aerial attack to douse Yorkshire's raging moor fires

Millions of litres of water were used by firefighters yesterday to douse a fire that has raged across the North Yorkshire beauty spot of Fylingdales Moor for two days.

Millions of litres of water were used by firefighters yesterday to douse a fire that has raged across the North Yorkshire beauty spot of Fylingdales Moor for two days.

About 100 firefighters from across Yorkshire used 19 pumps and a helicopter to contain the blaze in an area popular with walkers.

Firefighters dug a firebreak in a disused railway cutting and built a dam on the moor to supply water for the helicopter. The fire started in a roadside rubbish bin on Wednesday night and spread eastwards across four square miles due to dry conditions and high winds.

The main A171 Whitby to Scarborough was closed by police. By lunchtime yesterday North Yorkshire fire brigade was preparing to scale down one of its biggest operations of the year, involving every station in the county, although it remained on alert.

Light showers began falling yesterday and more rain is forecast for the weekend, but a spokesman for the North Yorkshire fire brigade said: "The ground is so dry that we need massive amounts [of rain] to make any difference."

Conservationists said the fire had badly damaged the eastern side of the area, but it is too early to tell whether the underlying peat has been affected by the fire. Insects, reptiles and some wading birds will almost certainly have been lost, according to English Nature, which manages the area on behalf of a private owner.

David Claydon, senior conservation officer for the North York Moors said: "It is quite serious for the moor's overall diversity because you hope to have a mix between managed and unmanaged land. We have lost a significant part of the latter."

Several holidaymakers staying near the village of Ravenscar were evacuated at around 3am on Thursday. Ed Schofield, general manager of the Ravenhall hotel overlooking Robin Hood Bay, said: "You can imagine how terrifying it was to them to have the fire brigade knocking down their door in the middle of the night."

Investigators believe the fire was started initially by a discarded cigarette in a rubbish bin on the A171. A second blaze near by may have been the result of "reckless" behaviour but the fire service dismissed reports that it was dealing with suspected arson.

A spokesman for North Yorkshire fire brigade said: "The moorland was tinder dry so any fire is going to immediately take hold."