Emergency bosses feared Doncaster moor blaze could threaten Lindholme Hall and a gas pipeline

It was one of the biggest fires Doncaster has seen for years.
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It was one of the biggest fires Doncaster has seen for years.

And today it was revealed that emergency planners feared the Hatfield Moors nature reserve blaze could be a threat to Lindholme Hall or ignite a major gas pipeline, as well as putting at risk endangered wildlife.

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Today the fire is mostly extinguished, with firefighters now just damping down the site to make sure nothing re-ignites, and those who have been involved in dealing what was classed as a major emergency have now revealed the problems they faced.

Hatfield Moor fire, Tuesday June 2nd 2020. Hatfield Moor fire, Tuesday June 2nd 2020.
Hatfield Moor fire, Tuesday June 2nd 2020.

Doncaster Council chief executive Damen Allen revealed he made the call to declare an emergency on May 20 just a few days after the fire was first reported, on Sunday May 17, after the extent of the fire became apparent, with concern for life, property and the environment.

It was the third time in little over six months that Doncaster was dealing with a declared emergency, following on from last November’s floods and the Covid 19 crisis.

Crews were drafted in from all over the country at the height of the blaze, and more than two weeks later, firefighters are still on the site.

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Mr Allen said: “We were concerned about Lindholme Hall, which is used as a Buddhist centre, and about the Scottish Power gas gas storage depot.

Hatfield Moor fire, Tuesday June 2nd 2020. Water pumps. Picture: Chris EtchellsHatfield Moor fire, Tuesday June 2nd 2020. Water pumps. Picture: Chris Etchells
Hatfield Moor fire, Tuesday June 2nd 2020. Water pumps. Picture: Chris Etchells

“The gas pressure in the underground pipes had to be taken right down.

“The whole area is 16 square kilometres, and that includes areas of richer ecological value, like Jack's Piece, near Lindholme Hall.

“The hall had to be protected with a fire break being put right round it.”

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Today, the road closed signs still remain at the entrance to the nature reserve. The dry and dusty tracks inside the reserve, which have been carrying so many fire engines in recent weeks, look like a scene from the Mediterranean, or even the Australian outback after so many weeks of dry weather, rather than the Doncaster mud that they may have been late last year when floods struck the borough.

Hatfield Moor fire, Tuesday June 2nd 2020. Pictured are  Tony Juniper, Chairman, Natural England, Damian Allen, Chief Executive, Doncaster Council,  Alex Johnson, Chief Fire Officer, South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue, Chris Blacksell, Chief Fire Officer, Humberside Fire & Rescue. Picture: Chris EtchellsHatfield Moor fire, Tuesday June 2nd 2020. Pictured are  Tony Juniper, Chairman, Natural England, Damian Allen, Chief Executive, Doncaster Council,  Alex Johnson, Chief Fire Officer, South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue, Chris Blacksell, Chief Fire Officer, Humberside Fire & Rescue. Picture: Chris Etchells
Hatfield Moor fire, Tuesday June 2nd 2020. Pictured are Tony Juniper, Chairman, Natural England, Damian Allen, Chief Executive, Doncaster Council, Alex Johnson, Chief Fire Officer, South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue, Chris Blacksell, Chief Fire Officer, Humberside Fire & Rescue. Picture: Chris Etchells

Emergency teams say the combination of the heat, dry weather, and winds led to the fire spreading rapidly, with around half the site now fire damaged.

It prompted the council and Natural England to move to bring in a helicopter to drop loads of around 1000 litres of water at a time on areas of the fire to quash the flames, although the fire also burned underground in the peat. Firefighters said they could feel the heat in the ground.

Mr Allen said there was also concern about the smoke that was blowing off the moors and into nearby villages. At one stage, the smoke blowing into nearby Thorne was so thick that it set the fire alarms off at Thorne Police Station.

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There were concerns over how it could affect 17,000 shielded people in the borough. Firefighters put a message out for people to close their windows, and it is thought no one needed medical treatment as a result of the smoke.

Hatfield Moor fire, Tuesday June 2nd 2020. Picture: Chris EtchellsHatfield Moor fire, Tuesday June 2nd 2020. Picture: Chris Etchells
Hatfield Moor fire, Tuesday June 2nd 2020. Picture: Chris Etchells

Deputy Chief Fire Officers for South Yorkshire, Chris Kirby said the cause of the fire is still not known for certain but said it had been a gruelling few days for the crews that had been fighting the flames.

Fighting the fires by beating flames and carrying heavy hose reels around the vast site, they faced testing circumstances in heat that was frequently in the upper 20s.

Usually, South Yorkshire has 27 fire engines. At the peak of the Hatfield Moor fire, 12 of those were at the moors.

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Mr Kirby said: “We had support from other fire services, like Humberside, Manchester, Oxfordshire, and Northumberland, and from the council and Natural England.

“Another challenge was dealing with this during lockdown, doing it safely with social distancing

He said those other organisations provided support in manpower and expertise as well as equipment ranging from beaters and hose reels to drones and thermal imaging equipment

Hatfield Moor fire, Tuesday June 2nd 2020.  Damian Allen, Chief Executive, Doncaster Council. Picture: Chris EtchellsHatfield Moor fire, Tuesday June 2nd 2020.  Damian Allen, Chief Executive, Doncaster Council. Picture: Chris Etchells
Hatfield Moor fire, Tuesday June 2nd 2020. Damian Allen, Chief Executive, Doncaster Council. Picture: Chris Etchells

“We have been here constantly for two weeks, on difficult terrain, in temperatures often in the late 20s. In some regards, we want cooler weather and some rain to help wet the ground," he added.

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“There are a number of things that can cause a fire like this. The critical message is don’t go out to places like this with disposable barbecues. By all means enjoy the outdoors, but people need to know not to drop cigarettes or use disposable barbecues in a way that is going to start a fire that needs a response like this for weeks.”

Some are now turning to the future of the site.

Tony Juniper is starting to plan to bring the Doncaster beauty spot back to its former glory.

Mr Juniper, the chairman, Natural England, says the planning starts now, and believes it is still too early to tell what the long-term impact of the fire will be.

But he feels relieved that what is regarded as the most important area, Jack’s Piece, was saved from the fire.

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Jack's PIece is part of the moor that never had peat removed when the site was still being harvested, which was happening until 2004. It has rare wildlife nesting there such as night jar, a rare bird.

“Attention is now turning towards recovery, and getting it back to its former glory,” he said.

“Some of it may be different for a period, but we hope to see restoration of much of the wildlife. It is a peat landscape, and it needs water.

“But 20 years ago parts of the site were like a moonscape where peat had been cut out. It was not like it was hundreds of years ago, but the last 20 years had seen some restoration, and it was catching carbon and holding water.

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“We want to see similar processes now. We are working on a plan to restore it, and taking a long term approach to minimising fire risk. Climate change is with us so we need to do this.

“We want people to enjoy these resources, but to be careful and responsible.

“We don’t yet know how much wildlife is destroyed. Birds were well equipped to escape, and hopefully some of the reptiles and other animals escaped. But nature is relient and will bounce back.

“It was wonderful to see the pictures of a deer faun that was rescued. But we don’t know how many were not rescued.”

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"To conservationists like us, any fire like this is a cause of great sadness. We greatly appreciate the help we’ve had from Doncaster Council and the fire service, which has brought this incident near to its conclusion. Now we can start to restore it.”