North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service have declared a major incident over a fire on the North York Moors.
The blaze is on Langdale Moor, near to RAF Fylingdales.
A North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service spokesperson said this afternoon (Wednesday, 13 August): “More resources are being sent to the scene (it’s now a make pumps 20 incident).
RAF Fylingdales location
“This has now been declared a major incident.
“The fire has now spread and is covering around 5 sq km of moorland. Smoke may be visible and travelling across the area.
“If you’re nearby, please take precautions: keep windows and doors closed. Avoid the area if possible.”
David Skaith, Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, and Jo Coles, Deputy Mayor for Policing, Fire and Crime, said: “We are aware of North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service’s declaration of a major incident for the fire at Langdale Moor and continue to monitor the situation.
“We encourage the public to avoid the area and follow the latest advice from the fire service, which can be found on their website.
“We want to thank the firefighters, emergency service workers and partner agencies for their response to this incident.”