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Fourteen fire crews tackle moorland blaze

Fire vehicles parked on a road across a moor, with smoke rising in the backgroundBBC/Charles Heslett

Hayley Coyle

BBC News, Yorkshire

Updated 18 minutes ago

More than a dozen fire crews are tackling a large moorland blaze that broke out in the Marsden area of West Yorkshire.

Crews were called at 13:30 GMT to reports of a fire near March Haigh Reservoir, West Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service (WYFRS) said.

In an update at 17:00, the service said 14 crews and support units were on the moor, using blowers, beaters and moorland vehicles.

WYFRS said the blaze covered an area of 6 miles (10km) by 3 miles (5km), and was progressing in the direction of Greater Manchester in the Denholme area.

A far away shot of a moorland fire in West YorkshireRichard Noon

A spokesperson said: "The fire is continuing to burn, with some areas of a flame height of over 1.5m.

"The public are being reminded to please avoid the area."

Crews from Meltham, Slaithwaite, Holmfirth, Skelmanthorpe, Todmorden and Halifax are among those at the scene.

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Wildfires

Marsden

West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service

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