At 14.56 this afternoon, whilst in the Rivington area, Bolton Mobile 1 with a crew of 5 came across a moorland fire. We contacted the fire service who had already received a number of calls and were on route. The fire was close to the main road between Belmont and Rivington (Rivington Road). As we drove past the fire the road was completely covered in smoke with virtually no visibility. We felt the best role for us would be warn drivers using the landrovers blue lights and team members wearing high vis jackets about the road conditions and encourage them to slow down as particularly motor cyclists drive very fast along this stretch of road. Within a short period of time the Fire and Rescue Service arrived with three fire appliances (2 from Lancashire and one from Greater Manchester and one fire landrover. Team members continued to slow down traffic whilst the fire service very quickly put out the fire. The fire was out by 15.27.

This is recorded here for information only and this use of the team is not featured in our Incident listings.

(The team plays a role in assisting both Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service and Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service at large moorland fires, by providing detailed local area knowledge, catering support, transporting fire fighters and equipment in our vehicles on moorland tracks, providing standby rescue cover to deployed fire fighters, secondary communications, mapping support, and ’real time’ plotting of the extent of moorland fires. Note, The team does not engage in actual active fire fighting duties)