Overview
- Firefighters responded to a wildfire off the A57 Snake Pass that started around 8:58pm Thursday, sending smoke across Greater Manchester and into parts of Yorkshire.
- Derbyshire Fire and Rescue said the burn area reached roughly 900,000 square metres by Friday evening, when crews declared the fire under control at 8:15pm.
- Teams returned early Saturday to put out hotspots and reduce lingering smoke, using off-road vehicles, water carriers, and support from the Fire Operations Group and mountain rescue.
- Police closed stretches of Snake Pass on Friday to aid the response and later reopened the road, while residents were urged to avoid the area and keep windows shut if they smelled smoke.
- Authorities have not identified a cause or reported injuries, and the dry peat and moss on the moor—fueled by moderate winds—let the fire travel fast and smoulder below ground.