Saddleworth Moor fire is getting serious...

[kebabking]

it is now but wasnt at first

True, but it wasn't that big a fire, and there was some rain on the forecast horizon. Both of those changed around Monday/Tuesday, and so it became a bigger story.

Now, I don't doubt that if this fire was on the Chilterns the public evacuation of North London would be being publicly discussed and planned - but the public evacuation of at risk areas in/around the Moors has been thought about, and some contingency planning done - more civil contingency resources are being generated on a daily basis, fire services around the country are looking at what what they can do if this continues and GMFR hits a wall, and the MOD is looking at how it could help other fire services so that they can generate even more help for GMFR.

Emergency, tented accommodation for 100,000 people is well within what the civil contingency planners have in their bag. The plans and resources are in place, the only variable is whether authorities have the balls to jump for such options.

 

[farmerbarleymow]

It would really piss me off if I had to live in a tent with 100,000 people.

 

[cupid_stunt]

True, but it wasn't that big a fire, and there was some rain on the forecast horizon. Both of those changed around Monday/Tuesday, and so it became a bigger story.

I was going to post the same, first saw it on breakfast telly news on Tuesday, when it had become clear it was a 'big one'.

 

[TheHoodedClaw]

somebody's fetish gear has come out of the cellar
east german surplus if I'm not mistaken

GP-5, I think. Hope it's not one of the old ones with the asbestos in the filter.

 

[cupid_stunt]

Man arrested over fire on Winter Hill near Bolton

Assuming he did it, what a cunt.

 

[SpookyFrank]

Do you think there would be more media coverage if this fire was near London?

Yes. It'd be the end of the fucking world if this was happening in the Surrey golf course belt.

 

[Calamity1971]

It would really piss me off if I had to live in a tent with 100,000 people.

I'm sleeping naked, akimbo with bollocks out so why bother?

I lick my bollock sweat off the duvet on waking.

((((( 100,000 people))))

 

[likesfish]

Yes. It'd be the end of the fucking world if this was happening in the Surrey golf course belt.

yeah well a huge fire in surrey would be a major problem surrey not full of empty moors

 

[SpookyFrank]

yeah well a huge fire in surrey would be a major problem surrey not full of empty moors

I like empty moors. People from Surrey on the other hand, wankers.

 

[farmerbarleymow]

There was a slight smell of smoke lingering yesterday, but it seems to have gone today.

 

[farmerbarleymow]

The two fires on Winter Hill have now merged. The authorities have declared another major incident.

Here's an updated picture of the extent of the fire on Saddleworth Moor via the EU Copernicus programme.

 

[kebabking]

The Winter Hill fires, not Saddleworth, but Lancashire, have joined up near the summit and the TV transmission station - the firefighters have been evacuated and the location declared a Major Incident.

 

[farmerbarleymow]

The Winter Hill fires, not Saddleworth, but Lancashire, have joined up near the summit and the TV transmission station - the firefighters have been evacuated and the location declared a Major Incident.

A pedant writes - some of Winter Hill appears to fall within the boundaries of GM, and other bits into Lancashire. I'm not sure which sides of the dividing line the fires are located though.

 

[farmerbarleymow]

I can smell smoke again.

eta AnnO'Neemus can you smell anything round your way?

 

[cupid_stunt]

The Winter Hill fires, not Saddleworth, but Lancashire, have joined up near the summit and the TV transmission station - the firefighters have been evacuated and the location declared a Major Incident.

It's getting bloody near to the transmitter site, which is not only the base for lots of FM & DAB radio transmitters, but is a main TV mast, if that goes down, there will be problems with around 70 relay TV transmitters right across the region, that take their feeds from Winter Hill.

 

[farmerbarleymow]

It's getting bloody near to the transmitter site, which is not only the base for lots of FM & DAB radio transmitters, but is a main TV mast, if that goes down, there will be problems with around 70 relay TV transmitters right across the region, that take their feeds from Winter Hill.

How big an area would be affected? Imagine the uproar if it stopped lots of people watching the football thing.

 

[cupid_stunt]

How big an area would be affected? Imagine the uproar if it stopped lots of people watching the football thing.

This is the TV coverage map for the main Winter Hill transmitter, serving 2,690,000 homes...



...then more homes will be covered by around 70 relay transmitters!

 

[farmerbarleymow]

This is the TV coverage map for the main Winter Hill transmitter, serving 2,690,000 homes...

View attachment 139574

...then more homes will be covered by around 70 relay transmitters!

At least it'd give people time to find better things to do than watch men kick bags of air round fields.

 

[Duncan2]

At least it'd give people time to find better things to do than watch men kick bags of air round fields.

No doubt these are catastrophic fires but it does surprise me that they are still out of control despite the best efforts of the Fire-Brigade.

 

[farmerbarleymow]

No doubt these are catastrophic fires but it does surprise me that they are still out of control despite the best efforts of the Fire-Brigade.

Its down to the peat fueling it. The tops will be much drier than usual given the time of year and lack of rain, so it'll be like kindling up there.

 

[kebabking]

No doubt these are catastrophic fires but it does surprise me that they are still out of control despite the best efforts of the Fire-Brigade.

They are trying to put out a 7 square mile fire with rubber flaps, there's very little water up there to use, and the number of mobile pumps available to move water around is a drop in the ocean of what would be needed.

They also have every idiot in greater Manchester with a BBQ, as well as car fires to worry about - I'm surprised they've contained it..

 

[farmerbarleymow]

Has the TV transmitter burnt down yet?

 

[a_chap]

Surely a TV transmitter would burn up.

 

[pesh]

 

[Bingo]

Heard that Buxton is about to hold a lantern festival where they set off loads of Chinese lanterns....

 

[a_chap]

...set off loads of Chinese lanterns....

Those things should be banned

 

[Bingo]

28th July apparently

 

[farmerbarleymow]

Come on flames - you can do it!

Agree that those bloody lanterns should be banned. A blatant fire risk.

 

[sojourner]

I saw this on the way to and from Cockermouth yesterday

 

[Saul Goodman]

Do you think there would be more media coverage if this fire was near London?

It would certainly be more fun