Tintwistle Moor wildfire burns on for more than a month in England's Peak District

Firefighters are still battling a major moorland wildfire on Tintwistle Moor in the Peak District, near Glossop, more than a month after it first began. The blaze, which started on 24 June, has continued to smoulder and burn across a wide area of upland countryside. It was declared a major incident on 13 July, and crews remain stationed on the moorland as the fire continues.

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Analysis of satellite and fire data has estimated that about 606 hectares, or 1,630 acres, have burned so far. That is roughly equivalent to 900 football pitches and larger than the footprint of Hadfield, one of the nearest towns, which has a population of about 6,700. A separate wildfire at Dovestone Reservoir, north of the Tintwistle blaze, has also been reported, covering about 90 hectares.

The fire has developed during a prolonged spell of hot, dry weather that has placed pressure on firefighting resources. An environmental sciences lecturer at the University of Derby, who has been monitoring the blaze using satellite imagery, said it may be among the largest wildfires seen in England in recent memory. She compared its scale with major fires in Saddleworth in 2018 and on the North York Moors at Fylingdales last year.

The scale of the incident matters because moorland fires can be difficult to contain, especially when dry conditions persist and the terrain is exposed. The Peak District is one of England's best-known upland landscapes, and prolonged burning can affect wildlife, habitats and local air quality. It also draws in emergency resources over an extended period, limiting the ability of fire services to respond elsewhere.

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The current fire is part of a wider pattern of large wildfires affecting upland areas in recent years. The comparison with Saddleworth and Fylingdales underlines how exceptional the Tintwistle Moor blaze has become in terms of size and duration. The fact that it has remained active for more than a month suggests that suppression efforts have been complicated by weather and terrain.

The fire service first received reports of smoke rising from the moorland on a Wednesday night in June, as darkness fell over the area overlooking Glossop. Since then, the blaze has spread across a broad stretch of moorland and has been visible from space. The continuing response has involved dozens of firefighters, according to the latest account of the incident.

What remains unclear is how much further the fire may spread and how long it will take to bring it fully under control. The latest estimates are based on satellite analysis, and the exact burned area could change as assessments continue. The key question now is whether the ongoing hot, dry weather will ease enough to allow crews to make lasting progress.

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