Winter Hill Fire Ground Footage 28 & 29th

Footage taken from day one and two of the Winter Hill moorland fire that Lancashire Fire and Rescue were called to on June 28th 2018. Drone footage is supplied by the LFRS Aerial Support Unit and the footage also features the Airbourne Solutions helicopter who were also in attendance on the 29th June and are contracted by our partners United Utilities.

[@LilybetMells]

You can see Winter Hill clearly from Leigh where I live!! This morning I was cleaning ash off my windowsills and the burning smell is everywhere. The fire service are trying so hard to get it under control, but the relentless dry weather and strong breeze is hindering there efforts. Stay safe guy's and much respect to you for your brave work.

[@LindaTCornwall]

Words are unable to express the sadness seeing the Moors blackened and destroyed. Breaks my heart to see it this way. Over 75% of the world's remaining heather moorland is found in Britain, to see this majestic landscape destroyed is heartbreaking... thank you so much to all our brave Fire Fighters, Army, RAF and Police for trying with every ounce of their being to get this under control in such difficult temperatures and conditions to save this breathtaking landscape, rare plants and it's wild life. I'd like to be able to give each and every single one of you a hug!! You're doing such an amazing job, and we ALL thank you...

[@Ironlord2015]

You guys on the moors are doing absolutely amazing work, in such tough relentless conditions, i'm really hoping for rain for you all! Forget so and so footballers who are hailed 'heroes', nope sorry, you guys are the REAL heroes, and I salute you all. I hope some of you enjoy the bottles of water I contributed along with loads more drinks, socks etc, that were donated by my workplace...you all really deserve it! It's great to see good people coming together too, like the garden centre that donated sandwiches, and Mcdonalds etc. There may be awful people trying to restart fires but the less said about them the better I think (don't get me started...grrrrr), but there's still great people coming together to do their bit, and that restores my faith in humanity. I hope we get rain soon, and you guys up there can finally get the fires completely under control. Thank you to you all! It's also great that you are keeping your spirits up and having a laugh, "hope that camera's water proof" :-D The video of the chap getting wet through under the water from the helicopter was funny too, bet that was bloody cold for him though, it sounded like it from his reaction :-D

[@humansrants1694]

I walked all day at work today in a third of the clothing and not near a huge fire. Respect guys.

[@babylonmol]

Thank you so very much for all your hard work and dedication. I cannot begin to imagine how difficult it is working in such extreme conditions. I am so grateful you are here to protect us. My love and prayers are with you.

[@dencarthy]

Good footage & well shot showing pike & the masts to help identify the specific area of moor caught up in it. Aint been up there since appx 1959 - 1960 when I left the area. DC, London

[@c21bbr97]

Excellent job ladies n gents thankyou so much

[@jason31ful]

many thanks for those heros doing a great job i respect them too the max

[@reloadedband6163]

Great job guys and gals. Our thoughts are with you whilst you're up there protecting us.

[@paulinehopps4249]

Thank you

[@hopeshannon4944]

It is such a shame to see the land blackened like that! Many of us have walked our dogs up there or walked up with friends so it's just awful to see it like that! We'll done to the firefighters working hard day and night and to everyone who had donated to them in any way!

[@jane---489]

*_Much respect guys. It looks like dangerous hard work for you, stay safe ..._*

[@mikeyt1981]

IF TRUE and the 22 year old detained for staring this fire DOES indeed to be TRUE I hope he gets the bill for his mess and is held accountable for his stupidity. Big thumbs up to all who have put themself up there to tackle this fire and to keep everyone else safe. Thank you all

[@paulm9857]

Michael I would take him up there and let him help and when it's finally out,I'd give him five years in prison or throw him on the fire

[@mikeyt1981]

Hot Rockin' No one knows if he did it or not just a male of 22 has now been released pending further enquiries.. Make him pay the bills for what it's cost, forget jail or smashing his hand with mallets, its only going to cost the tax payer even more money than it has already.

[@paulholland5270]

you can't put a price on nature

[@mikeyt1981]

paul holland The cost of the man power, machinery, food, water to be able to keep everyone up there, this is the tax payers money that could have been used in many other ways, this will be 10s of millions of pounds, nature will recover over time

[@jimsaintruth4248]

My grandparents live in sight of the hill.

[@cursiverain6261]

I can see and smell it from my house ... just madness.

[@siinnit]

Scary stuff 🚒

[@abigael8068]

Living round the corner is quite horrifying...

[@caitlindunning6541]

You could see the smoke from where I live in Preston

[@NeoN-cc9vr]

I can see the smoke from my bedroom window

[@maddyheaton1723]

I wasn't allowed in my home for 2 days coz of the smoke surrounding my house

[@terratec1001]

The government need to throw more resources at this immediately. Get more helicopters capable of dropping water out there NOW! They are dragging their friggin' heels (most likely because the fire is not in London), and will no doubt say shit like "there's lessons to be learnt from this" after the event.

[@topgrafter2007]

it will grow back quickly (farmers do controlled burns to regenerate the land) but there should defo have been assistance from Army RAF etc in the form of Chinooks being used as water bombers (they certainly had the water scoops in recent years) pretty disgusting to think the equipment is available but not used!

[@loneyid]

Bit ironic 'winter hill'.

[@MCBOSSGAMING]

whoa thats so cool dab lol xD

[@pdtech4524]

I'm no expert but those fire beaters seem very ineffective !? Surely more water is needed or some kind of dry powder to starve the embers of oxygen? Respect to all the hard working fire fighters tackling this blaze and I hope the guy who is suspected of starting this gets the bill?

[@firejam78]

PD Tech the beaters believe it or not are very effective if you don't have a prevailing wind hampering your efforts, with regards to more water, supplies are limited in rural locations and if your drawing from the nearest hydrants then the supplies to the houses is affected so we (fire fighters) just have to do the best we can given the circumstances. What is good to see is the supporting comments for my fellow fire fighters on here we have also been very busy with these types of fires and at times you feel like your not getting anywhere

[@pdtech4524]

James Williams As I said, total respect to the fire fighters tackling this. It just looks like very hard, hot work with lots of effort but little gain! :( I have walked over winter hill many times and normally even in summer it is very wet and boggy like walking on a huge sponge! this unprecidented dry spell has obviously left it tinder dry, I know there is a reservoir not far from there where water could be drawn and piped maybe? Such a shame to see the beautiful landscape burnt to a crisp like that and the effect it has on the wildlife as well as the danger to people and property! I just hope who ever caused this spends a very long time behind bars and is made to pay financially, it's just totally mindless!

[@firejam78]

PD Tech they could have possibly used a high volume pump which has a hose laying capability and the grunt to get the water up the hill but not being on the incident I don't know if this was utilised or not. Full respect to them, I've been lucky to have a few quiet days as I was leaving work after my shifts to go and relieve my colleagues who were on shifts themselves as we are a retained station and I didn't know what day it was by the end of the week lol

[@MikeD72]

Good job to all involved was watching all day and did this time-lapse it just shows the speed at which it goes. Time-lapse at .....kzbin.info/www/bejne/bn6UY3ysZa9lmtE

[@whitehairvillain36]

Of course they were fine! It's not like they ate the fire.

[@humansrants1694]

They could get heat stroke though and last night they had to leg it down when the wind changed direction and joined the Bolton fire onto the Winterhill fire.

[@terratec1001]

There's no doubt that the fire service do an amazing job under very difficult conditions. But those beaters they're using on the fire are a complete waste of time and fireman's energy. Very knackering for the fireman and the fire still burns.

[@markbradley5030]

And your suggestion of what they should us is.........?

[@terratec1001]

More helicopters are needed to drop water. Get more plant up there to dig fire breaks in the direction it's heading.

[@markbradley5030]

Cos its really easy to get heavy plant upon Moorland isnt it. Where do all these helicopters come from? same place as the Snow ploughs in Winter time?

[@terratec1001]

It's very easy indeed to get 4 wheel plant onto the moors. And the UK doesn't have just one helicopter that is capable of dropping water. EDIT: On the news today (2nd July), even Andy Burnham acknowledged that more helicopters are needed.

[@carolynegreenhalgh3532]

Would it be feasible to have very large fire blankets to place at the edge of the fire to try and starve it of oxygen?