Barbecue and firework bans planned for Chorley moorland to prevent wildfires

A trio of local authorities have proposed creating public space protection orders (PSPOs) covering the West Pennine Moors.

If approved, the measures would outlaw a range of activities deemed so dangerous that there was a significant chance of them causing fire to break out. These could also include the use of sky lanterns and open-flame heat sources.

The orders would not apply on private property, in cases where someone had written permission from the landowner or local council or for legitimate land management reasons.

However, breaching any order would be a criminal offence, the sanction for which is a fine ranging from a £100 for an on-the-spot penalty notice, if paid within a fortnight, up to £1,000 for a fee levied after a conviction.

Chorley Council has this week launched a month-long public consultation into the proposal, while Bolton Council recently completed a similar exercise. Blackburn with Darwen Council will do the same, since each of the three authorities is responsible for drawing up orders to cover the areas of the West Pennine Moors that sit in their patch. While the orders themselves will be separate, they will be based on an identical set of rules and, if ultimately approved, come into force on the same day.

Back in June 2018, a huge peat moorland fire broke out at the top of Winter Hill, within the proposed PSPO area. It took firefighters from Lancashire and Greater Manchester 41 days to fully extinguish the blaze, which was declared a category four major incident and resulted in damage to an 11-mile stretch of the moor. At its height, 220 firefighters, 100 soldiers and 57 fire engines were involved in battling the fire.

Between February 2019 and September 2021, another 69 fires required a response in the Rivington and Winter Hill areas. The recovery period after moorland fires is at least five years, while it is estimated that the full recovery of wildlife after such blazes can take a decade.

Chorley Council’s cabinet member for early intervention, Bev Murray, told a recent cabinet meeting at which the consultation process was approved that the proposed order would “prevent and disrupt high-risk activities”.

The authority’s champion for the environment, Mark Clifford, said that it was a “much-needed” move, which would also assist with carbon capture.

“There’s an awful lot of peat up there which sequesters carbon - and obviously fire damages all of that, [so] anything we can do to prevent fires has to be done,” Cllr Clifford added.

The PSPO would stretch southwards from the M65 and encompass the Withnell, Wheelton, Angelzarke and Rivington moors in Chorley, the Darwen, Turton and Longworth moors in Blackburn with Darwen and Smithills Moor in Bolton.

Public space protection orders can be used to prohibit certain activities which are considered to have a detrimental impact on the quality of life of those living nearby. Police would take the lead in enforcing the one proposed for the West Pennine Moors, but that power could also be given to other agencies under the relevant legislation.

Chorley Council’s consultation runs until 7th December.