Woman charged with aggravated arson over moorland fire in Greater Manchester | UK news
A woman has been charged with arson in connection with a massive moorland bushfire as large parts of Greater Manchester were blanketed in smoke.
Shania Care-Slede, 20, from Hyde, was arrested by Greater Manchester police in Oldham on Monday. He is charged with two crimes: aggravated arson, being careless about whether life is in danger and driving dangerously.
Firefighters declared a major incident near Dovestone reservoir in Greenfield, where fireworks were set off before a massive moorland fire broke out on Saturday evening.
Care-Slede appeared at Manchester magistrates’ court on Tuesday morning. District judge Simon Blakebrough remanded him in custody until a plea hearing at Manchester’s Minshull Street crown court on August 18.
Although it is not yet clear whether fireworks caused the fire, police said they received a report of pyrotechnics.
Large parts of Greater Manchester have been blanketed in strong-smelling fog and layers of fine ash from three separate bushfires, including one at Mount Conwy in North Wales, 60 miles away.
The UK is in the midst of a ‘fire wave’ due to prolonged heatwaves caused by the climate emergency, scientists have warned Provides ideal conditions for forest fires.
Locals said parts of Manchester city center were blanketed in orange fog and a burning smell on Monday night. Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service advised people in smoke-affected areas to “stay indoors where possible and keep windows and doors closed to reduce smoke entering your home.”
Fire services are battling three major fires near Greater Manchester and in North Wales. On Sunday, a major incident was also declared at Tintwistle Moor in Derbyshire, where the fire first broke out on June 24, affecting more than 240 hectares (600 acres) of woodland and moorland.
Greater Manchester was also affected by smoke from the bushfire near Mount Conwy, which forced the evacuation of 36 homes. On Monday, the North Wales fire and rescue service said it had put a stop to the major incident and firefighters were on hand to monitor conditions.
There are currently 19 bushfires burning in England and Wales, according to the National Fire Chiefs Council. “When vegetation is this dry, it only takes a spark to start a fire,” NFCC chairman Phil Garrigan said.
“We urge everyone to take extra care when enjoying the outdoors. Avoid using disposable barbecues in parks, moors, countryside and other open spaces, never throw cigarettes on the ground and make sure rubbish is taken home.”
