Marsden Moor wildfire damaged 14,000 new trees

A recent wildfire that broke out on Marsden Moor destroyed nearly 14,000 new trees, a councillor has said.

Fire crews were called to a large wildfire near March Haigh Reservoir, near Huddersfield, at about 17:00 BST on 10 April.

The National Trust, which owns the land, and Colne Valley Tree Society, began clearing melted tree guards from the area on Saturday.

Kirklees councillor Matthew McLoughlin, who is part of the tree planting group, said more than half of the 25,000 new trees planted on the moor had been damaged.

McLoughlin said: “The vast majority have been completely destroyed and the plastic has melted into where the roots were.

“It obviously means a lot fewer trees growing up and helping the air get cleaner and take carbon down.”

Because the fire did not penetrate the ground itself, some trees could still grow back from the roots – but it was not likely that many would regrow, he said.

The trees were planted as part of the Landscapes for Water preservation project, between the National Trust and Yorkshire Water, and funded by White Rose Forest.

The aim of the project was to stop water running off the moors and to help prevent the erosion of the peatland.

Peat is a natural resource formed over long periods, mainly in wetland, which stores carbon.

A Landscapes for Water spokesperson said: “Our community is at the heart of our work, and it is disheartening to see their hard work affected by the recent moorland fire.

“However, we remain committed to working with them to continue enhancing the landscape across the South Pennines, making it more resilient in the face of these challenges.”

McLoughlin said the next steps were to remove plastic from the area and to replant the trees if funding can be secured.

The cause of the moorland fire is not yet known, according to investigators.

McLoughlin believes the fire was started deliberately and urged the public to report any suspicious behaviour.