Incident 43/2016 – Major Fire on Darwen & Turton Moor

The team was contacted by Lancashire Police control room requesting we speak with Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service to assist them with a developing moorland fire around Darwen.  Team Leader Alistair Greenough made contact with the Group manager from Lancashire Fire and Rescue who asked we meet with a Greater Manchester Fire Crew and Station manager at Lower Pasture Barn Farm and liaise with how we could best assist.

As the fire front on the eastern side of the moors had been brought under control the decision was made by the Lancashire Fire Incident Manager to relocate the resources to a carpark on Crookfield Road outside Tockholes where a plan was formulated and we were requested to transport fire crews and equipment onto the moors and provide a tracking facility using our mountain rescue computer software so the fire control room could monitor where the fire crews were at all times.

Using local knowledge of tracks and paths Bolton Mountain Rescue were able to take the crews close to the fire front making their response more timely, otherwise it would have been a case of moving everything by hand.

On hand was Andy Ryding (Ex Bolton MRT member) United Utilities Countryside Ranger who was able to provide a huge amount of assistance and local knowledge which allowed the vehicles best access to the moors.

All four of our team landrovers were used as well as our control vehicle which was used to run the mountain rescue side of the incident.

At approx 02:30 the decision was made to stand the team down as we would be required to return in the morning to assist with further fire operations.