Richard Hawley

I've just driven from York to home and passed over Saddleworth on the M62. There was a huge fire but in a big semi-circular line. Anyone any idea what's going on? I can't find anything on the news or t'internet apart from some old stuff about fires in April 2003.

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Always be a first rate version of yourself, instead of a second rate version of somebody else (Judy Garland)

Sounds like when stubble burning was still legal. I'm intrigued.

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There's just been an article about it on the news

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Always be a first rate version of yourself, instead of a second rate version of somebody else (Judy Garland)

Did they say what it was all abot?

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The heartbeat doesn't change, only the faces surrounding it.

I have seen similar things on the moors closer to home. I once asked someone who was working near a burning area, and he said that it was done to encourage new heather growth, which grouse like apparently.

I haven't been on Saddleworth Moor for a few years. The last time was about six years ago, when I was walking part of the Pennine Way. We pitched a tent just off the moor, in the shelter of some rocks. It was a lovely summer night - sat up for hours drinking Southern Comfort, watching the nearby towns lighting up and looking at the stars...marvellous stuff.

Cheers, Steve.

I was traveling back from Hull - I saw it.

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The news item just said that there were fires on the moors and that they were being extinguished. It was just an odd time of night for anything agricultural and it didn't appear to be a farmed area. I'm really curious but can't find anything out

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Always be a first rate version of yourself, instead of a second rate version of somebody else (Judy Garland)

I have driven backwards and forwards from Liverpool to |Hull more times than I care to remember and Saddleworth Moor always strikes me as a lonely, bleak and somewhat forbidding place. Maybe it's the history associated with it. Don't know what was happening that night though. Arson of some kind?

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Or just someone arson about

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The heartbeat doesn't change, only the faces surrounding it.

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Always be a first rate version of yourself, instead of a second rate version of somebody else (Judy Garland)

I live on the Lanacashire side of Saddleworth Moor and the fires happen every year around March. Its known as "swaling" and I believe its done on purpose as a method of controlling the growth of vegetation (as Steve says). I think also that because of the peat in the earth the fires can burn underground and pop up again randomly, so that may be why they burn at odd times.

Well that's something new learned today

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Always be a first rate version of yourself, instead of a second rate version of somebody else (Judy Garland)