Farmers came out in ‘absolute force’published at 15:01 BST
15:01 BST
Image source, Tom Jackson/BBC
Tom Martin is one of the farmers helping fire crews.
He said the response had been “tremendous” and “well-organised” and he described how quickly farmers had mobilised.
“Yesterday, they were worried about running out of water and so within half an hour, there were bowsers turning up, there were sprayers filled with water, farmers laying irrigation pipes as well – so really coming out in force to save this amazing bit of woodland,” he said.
Martin said farmers went back on Sunday evening after a call for machinery to help create fire breaks.
He said changing wind conditions meant efforts were focused on protecting nearby homes and the railway’s East Coast Main Line.
“We could see fire starting up again, kind of spontaneously, flames rising up and being put out as this kind of really dry peat, these old trees, were setting back on fire. And as we were cutting a break, we could smell the smoke,” he added.
“We could see just people working phenomenally hard.
“We were hearing from the response team back in Holme village, who were providing food and drink, that there were starving, really thirsty firemen and women, health workers, and all kinds of different people up there in need.
“It was pretty controlled, and well-organised.”