1.5 Fire synopsis between 11/08/2025 and 02/09/2025 (NYFRS back in attendance)

1.5.1    At 17:05 on the 11/08/2025 NYFRS received a call from Crew Manager [redacted] who works at the RAF Fylingdales Fire Service section stating that the Ministry of Defence (MOD) police had been down to Langdale Forest and there was a large amount of smoke in the area.  As per procedure stated in 1.4.2 a call was then made by NYFRS Control at 17:19 to Forestry England, during this call the Langdale Beat Forester stated she had attended earlier that day and the fire was contained within the fire breaks at this time.  She would reattend later that evening to check the location of the smoke reported.

1.5.2    Separately to this at the same time a crew from Goathland with Crew Manager [redacted] in charge were on their way to another incident when they saw significant amounts of smoke at Langdale Forest. They informed Control they would proceed via Langdale forest tracks and assess whilst alternative resources were mobilised to attend the other incident.  At 18:30 Goathland arrived at the scene and reported that the fire had breached the fire break, now approximately one to two acres of forest were on fire.  Further resources were then mobilised, and Forestry England were contacted again to provide support.

1.5.3   NYFRS attended the incident over the next two days, resources included fire engines, Argocats, officers and water bowsers and attempted to get the fire under control.  The geography and thick vegetation made firefighting very difficult. Getting water to the fire was challenging due to the terrain and distances involved.

1.5.4    On the morning of 12/08/2025 the fire breached the natural fire break of the River Derwent and spread onto Fylingdales Moor to the North of the forest, NYFRS had to reposition resources via new tracks and access points to surround the fire and attempt to stop the fire spreading again.

1.5.5    A Major Incident was declared at 12:22 on the 13/08/2025.  At this point 20 pumps along with several special resources, officers and contractors were requested to the incident.  This included resources and support from neighboring Fire & Rescue Services.

1.5.6    The fire continued to burn the moorland North of the forest and spread in all directions, NYFRS aimed to contain the fire with natural fire breaks and offensive firefighting tactics along the tracks and river Derwent which are highlighted red in the image over page*.

1.5.7           Further fire breaks and tactics were used to ensure that the fire did not spread beyond this area.  Preferred offensive firefighting tactics were not possible as this area was previously used by the military and unexploded ordnance was found and did explode on the moorland when under intense fire and heat.  This risk prohibited any NYFRS staff from firefighting on the moorland and restricted our actions to defensive firefighting from tracks and roads.

1.5.8    On the 25/08/2025 at approximately 15:41 the fire breached the track in the north area of fire break in the above image and spread further north, this fire break had been strengthened using water bowsers and sections had been cut to maximize the distance between fuels. This spread meant that NYFRS had to again change tactics and no longer had the fire surrounded.  The fire breached along this northern edge.

1.5.9  Following this spread NYFRS formally requested the deployment of National Assets to provide respite for our personnel, with particular consideration for on-call staff who have primary employment commitments and had already been engaged in firefighting operations at this incident for several days.

1.5.10  On the 28/08/2025 a Strategic Holding Area (SHA) was set up at the Galtres Centre in Pickering and resources, including pumps, Wildfire Support Officers, Wildfire Tactical Advisors, Advanced Incident Commanders, wildfire teams and wildfire vehicles were sent to support North Yorkshire.

1.5.11  Operational sectors were set up to the North and East where the fire was spreading towards, these were called Mine Sector, Fylingthorpe Sector, Flask Sector and Riverhead Farm Sector.  The A171 which is a major road along the coast was closed for over a week and several locations were evacuated due to the growing life risk as the fire advanced across the moorland.

1.5.12  Image 8* shows the initial area where the fire was allowed to burn in the forest and did so until 11/08/2025 until it breached and the area that was subsequently impacted by it spreading out into other areas of forest and onto the moorland to 25/08/2025.

1.5.13  Image 9* over page shows the total area impacted by fire up to 02/09/2025 where at this point it had spread beyond the fire breaks and impacted several communities including Grouse Hill Caravan Site to the East, the Woodsmith Mine to the North and several farms to the East and Northeast.

1.5.14  In total the fire burnt an area measured to be approximately 25km² which is equivalent to 2500 hectares and similar to the built area of the City of York, it caused significant disruption to local businesses, traffic and emergency services who were supported by a long list of category 2 and volunteer responders.  Woodsmith Mine to the North was evacuated and was significantly impacted, Goathland and Robin Hood’s Bay were at risk of evacuation and the A171 coast road was closed due to smoke and fire spread.

*images are not included in this plain text version.