The aftermath of the Roaches fire
Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service has thanked the community for their support while it dealt with a large moorland fire near Leek.
The road closures are still in place and we are asking people to stay away from the area until after the Bank Holiday. Our rangers operations are still ongoing as some of the peat is still burning and flare ups are still possible so our work is ongoing to cool down any remaining hotspots.
Crews were called to the fire on the Roaches on the afternoon of Thursday, August, 9 and remained at the incident until today, Tuesday, August 21. At the height of the incident there were 12 appliances at the scene, along with specialist vehicles including water carriers, command support and a welfare pod. It is estimated that the fire has destroyed around 200 acres of moorland, woodland and heath.
Partners from Staffordshire Wildlife Trust are continuing to dampen down any remaining hotspots and they will decide when the area and nearby roads are safe to reopen fully.
Staffordshire Wildlife Trust’s Jeff Sim said: “The road closures are still in place and we are asking people to stay away from the area until after the Bank Holiday.
“Our rangers operations are still ongoing as some of the peat is still burning and flare ups are still possible so our work is ongoing to cool down any remaining hotspots.”
Glynn Luznyj, Director of Prevent and Protect, said: “We’ve received overwhelming support from local residents and businesses alike and couldn’t have responded to this incident without the support of our partners.
“We’ve carried out numerous reinspections at the incident and are happy that the risk has reduced enough for us to leave the scene. However, a number of dams remain across the area so that Staffordshire Wildlife Trust rangers can deal with any small hotspots or areas of concern. Of course if required we will revisit.”
SFRS would like to thank the following: