3.0 Facts
3.1 Facts obtained
3.1.1 Peat depth in this area ranges from 10cm to 50cm depending on its location, this is shown in image 10 where you can see the river and RAF Fylingdales. The darkest areas of colour denote the deepest peat depth
3.1.2 Met Office’s Fire Severity Index (FSI). This is an assessment of how severe a fire could become if one were to start. It is not an assessment of the risk of wildfires occurring. The FSI in North Yorkshire during June was FSI level 4 which is classified as ‘very high fire severity’. This was classified as the driest spring in 132 years, only 15cm of rain fell between February and June, this is less than half that expected in an average year.
3.1.3 The FSI rating is calculated using six other indexes, one of which is the Fine Fuel Moisture Content (FFMC). This is a key indicator of a fires ability to spread and represents the moisture content of dead, fine forest fuels like pine needles and leaf litter. The FFMC is signified by a range of one to five. One being ‘ignition is unlikely’ and five being ‘extreme fire behaviour’. On 26/06/2025 the FFMC at Langdale Forest was three ‘Fires able to spread’, on the 12/08/2025 this had increased to four ‘Fires spread easily’. See appendix G for details.
3.1.4 Another index in the FSI is the Initial Spread Index (ISI), this predicts the potential rate of fire spread immediately after ignition, combining fine fuel moisture content (FFMC) and wind speed into a single index. On 26/06/2025 the ISI at Langdale Forest was three ‘Onset of crown fires’, on the 12/08/2025 this had increased to four ‘extreme fire behaviour’. See appendix G for details.
3.1.5 North Yorkshire Police investigated the fire and determined there was no evidence to show there was any third-party involvement in the fire cause or spread.
3.1.6 The fire was first reported to NYFRS via a 999 call on the 26/06/2025 but locally it was known prior to this date. [redacted] and [redacted], local residents and Shepherd on the land, saw the fire on the 22/06/2025 and originally reported the fire to their neighbours.
3.1.7 The fire was handed over to Forestry England on the 04/07/25 and between this period and the 11/08/25 the fire was contained within the boundaries of the fire breaks. See appendix F for External Handover Form given to Forestry England by NYFRS.
3.1.8 On the 11/08/25 at 18:33 Crew Manager [redacted] who attended with Goathland Crew confirmed the fire had breached a fire break and was now affecting one to two acres of forest on fire outside of the confines of the fire breaks.
3.1.9 On the 12/08/25 and 08:49 it was confirmed by attending crews that the fire was now on the moorland moving North towards Lilla Cross and the track that runs towards the East.
3.1.10 No other contactor activity, including hot works was conducted in the area before the fire started and was reported to NYFRS on 26/06/2025. Forestry England confirm that they have not completed any works in the area of the initial fire and that they don’t allow smoking on site.
3.1.11 No military activity or training exercise were carried out in the area other than business as usually activity from RAF Fylingdales and routine patrols, as confirmed by Military Police on the 23/09/2025.
3.1.12 Due to risks to the environment and habitats Forestry England do not allow campfires or barbecues in their forests at any time. Forestry England did confirm that they have found and documented evidence of campfires and barbecues across their estates in recent years and in forests near to Langdale.
3.1.13 Langdale Forest has multiple public access routes in and out of the forest and is a popular place for people to visit, cycle or walk through.
3.2 Facts in documents
3.2.1 KIRKS Fire Investigation 8th edition, Chapter 4, section 5.1 refers to the travel distances involving windblown sparks. In this section it states that ‘Tests by DeHaan demonstrated that burning wood chips and straw could be carried up to 15m from their source in a 20mph wind to ignite cloth, straw and wood shavings target. Light items will rarely travel as much as 6m except under significant wind conditions. Distances in excess of 9 to 12m are to be accepted only with the greatest caution.
3.2.2 KIRKS Fire Investigation 8th edition, Chapter 4, section 4.8.2 refers to the lightning as a source of ignition. This section states that ‘Lightning only occasionally strikes trees which depend upon their susceptibility to combustion. An old, dead, dry trunk is more likely to catch fire than a living tree, which is both a better conductor and less flammable. In general, many bolts of lightning will strike for every fire that is initiated.
3.3 Literature or research
3.3.1 I have referred to several published works. These are listed in appendix B.
3.4 Assumed facts
3.4.1 There was no other contractors on the land not employed by Forestry England around the time the fire was first seen or reported.
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