The moors are on fire

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We are surrounded by moorland here and the ground is mostly peat. There have been huge fires here for days now... we've even made the national news. There have been fire engines up the roads non-stop and helicopters going back and forwards dropping big buckets of water on the fire. We can smell the smoke and the sky is full of it. Now another fire has started on the other side of the village... so we're surrounded.
I'm pretty sure the village is safe, but it's grim. I hope the firefighters are ok... they're being drafted in from all over the country. And lots of ground-nesting birds around here... don't imagine they've done very well.
It all started because some idiot decided to have a barbecue in the hills... on tinder-dry ground over peat. Due for heavy rain from tomorrow, first time I've wished for rain around here.

That's scary, hope you stay safe.

Thanks, Tuf.
It's all rather spooky... and weird. Like everything you know turned on its head. It usually rains here 364 days a year.

Basically the whole moor is one big expanse of fuel. But usually its waterlogged. So now that its dried out you are living in the middle of one big charcoal cooker.

Dartmoor in Devon in England's West Country?

Where the legend of a fearsome, diabolical hound of supernatural origin began?

No, the fire's on Saddleworth Moor, between Greater Manchester and Huddersfield. I went out of my house yesterday morning, and the air was thick with smoke. Thought a nearby building must be on fire, but the blaze is about six or seven miles from here. It's the third one in the area in the last year.

Likewise a bit further North, around Airedale/Wharfedale way. There was a big one on Ilkley Moor a few days ago, and a few smaller ones that I could see around the Calder/Aire watershed over the weekend.

Were supposed to be due rain for most of the coming week, though, and it started raining here an hour or so ago. Fingers crossed it's enough to make up for the dry Winter/Spring - the ground and the wildlife certainly need it.

I thought it was the moops.

The Hound of the Baskervilles took place on the moors.
Scary about the fire,hope the rain arrives soon.

Hope you all stay safe and the fires subside quickly.

We had the worst drought I ever saw in my life a few years back with temps in the hundreds and no rain for months,awful.
The news said to have a bug out bag ready and I had never heard of such a thing.Get all important documents ,medicine,valuables and pet carriers ready to go immediately.
You could smell smoke in the air,
it was nerve wracking.
Tornado warnings I’m used to,but not fire.