'They are a reality now' - One year on from worst wildfire in Yorkshire's history

It is now one year after the Langdale Moor fires, in which the stunning landscape of the North York Moors National Park was ablaze in the worst wildfire in the region’s history. Ten square miles were burned to ashes with an estimated damage cost of £26m. Emma Ryan reports.

The sun is shining, there is a gentle and almost whimsical coastal breeze and the sea, when it comes into view, sparkles like a diamond on Whitby’s coastline.

Tourists, caravans and motorhomes are an endless stream across the spectacular moorland roads which weave into the North Yorkshire town from Scarborough and Pickering.

It is just as any other summer season during the school holidays.

Except this time last year, these routes were a no-go zone. They were shrouded in thick smoke, swirling debris and flames.

The stunning landscape of the North York Moors National Park, which attracts more than nine million visitors per year, was ablaze in the worst wild-fire in the region’s history.

Ten square miles of moorland, environment, habitat and wildlife were burned to ashes with an estimated damage cost of £26m.

As those visitors flock to the town for summer trips, locals go about their daily business - there is little, on first glance, to portray the devastation which unfolded across the summer of 2025.

But there are signs, literally.

Shoots of green which had started to peep back through the blackened ground are now brown due to the lack of water; vast expanses of Fylingdales Moor are barren and churned up; the livestock which grazed has still not returned.

With there having been virtually no rainfall for months and high temperatures, the area is again at risk from wildfires starting and being able to spread rapidly.

And the authorities know only too well.

North York Moors National Park has been putting signs up on popular routes warning of extreme fire risks and North Yorkshire Council has taken the unusual step of placing signs along key routes to reinforce its ‘Don’t Spark Disaster campaign’.

North Yorkshire Council’s leader, Coun Carl Les, said: “North Yorkshire is home to some of the country’s most beautiful and treasured landscapes, and we want everyone to enjoy them safely.

“Sadly, despite last year’s major incident at Fylingdales Moor, we continue to get reports of campfires being lit and left smouldering. There is understandable fear in some communities that there could be a repeat of last summer’s fire.

“These new roadside warning signs provide a clear reminder that fires, barbecues and other open flames have no place in our countryside. We know only too well how devastating they can be and how easily a wildfire can start.”

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service released a startling report in June where it was confirmed an original fire broke out in Langdale Forest in June 2025 which burned for weeks before it escalated.

On August 11 the fire, being contained and monitored by Forestry England, escalated and on the following day, it breached natural fire breaks and spread to Fylingdales Moor.

It was caused by a campfire or cooking in the forest.

Large scale wildfires haven’t really dominated the news agenda in this area since 2003. Yet even since the Langdale Forest and Fylingdales Moor incident - they are almost a daily news item.

Just last weekend, less than 10 miles from Langdale Forest, fire crews were called to a wildfire in Wykeham Forest - caused by a barbecue.

Call logs, for the last few days alone, show fire crews in North Yorkshire attended wildfires caused by barbecues or campfires at Stump Cross Caverns near Grassington, Filey Country Park, Raincliffe Woods at Scarborough, Cod Beck at Osmotherley and York to name just a handful.

The government says in 2025 alone, fire crews in England and Wales attended more than a thousand wildfires, far surpassing figures for the previous year.

According to National Resilience data, fire and rescue services in England and Wales have responded to 706 wildfires so far in 2026, with 208 incidents recorded between July 16 and 28 alone.

There are currently eight live wildfire incidents being monitored through national reporting systems including huge fires in The Cairngorms, The Peak District, Suffolk and Devon.

The fire at Fylingdales Moor was branded unprecedented at the time, but not anymore.

Phil Garrigan, Chair of the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC), said: “Wildfires are no longer isolated or seasonal events.

"They are becoming a recurring and growing feature of the risks facing our communities and emergency services.

"As climate and environmental conditions continue to change, we must ensure our fire and rescue services are equipped to meet that challenge.

“That means sustained investment in specialist training, modern equipment, national resilience capabilities and the research and technology needed to improve our prevention, preparedness and response.

"We cannot afford to treat wildfires as an emerging risk any longer. They are a reality now, and our national capability must evolve accordingly.”

In its lengthy fire de-brief report, North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue conceded it needed to review its capacity and assets for tackling wildfires.

Earlier this summer, the Government announced a new specialist wildfire capability, including strategically located wildfire response teams and a wider £97m investment in National Resilience assets.

Fire chiefs welcomed the move, but also warned it won’t be enough.

Human behaviours can prevent the majority of wildfires, says the NFCC, by not discarding cigarettes, not having disposable barbecues in open spaces and taking litter home.

Yet despite the obvious risks, people are still using disposable barbecues and lighting campfires in open countryside, prompting the office of the Mayor of York and North Yorkshire to repeat a campaign to have them banned.

Letters were sent to all supermarkets serving North Yorkshire earlier this year asking them to stop selling disposable barbecues, but a national ban would be preferred.

Aldi, Marks & Spencer and Waitrose had already agreed to stop selling them, but this week, it was announced Asda had followed suit and Sainsbury’s had also paused sales while the prolonged dry weather continued.

Jo Coles, deputy mayor for policing, fire and crime said: “It’s not worth the risk to our countryside.

"People should recognise that in a region like North Yorkshire, this is just responsible retailing. We shouldn’t need legislation to do this.”