Advice issued after moorland fire at Brimham Rocks

The National Trust, which runs the attraction, said that about 50 square metres of heather had been destroyed by the blaze.

“We’re sad to say that we’ve had a fire here at Brimham Rocks this afternoon,” said a NT spokesman.

“Luckily it was discovered quickly but not before it destroyed 50 square metres of precious moorland heather habitat.

“We’re not sure yet how the fire started, but as the weather continues to warm up we’d encourage all our visitors to follow the countryside code.

“We need to protect the rare birds and diverse plant life that call Brimham Rocks home which is why fires and BBQ’s are strictly not allowed here.”

Fire crews from Harrogate and Knaresborough attended the blaze and quickly brought it under control.

The National Trust spokesman added: “Many thanks to the efforts of the North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service who sent two fire engines to douse the flames and limit the spread of this potentially more dangerous fire.”

A Harrogate Fire spokesman urged visitors to take extra care as the ground is very dry.

“Dry ground means there’s an added risk of a fire starting.”

They added that to reduce the chance of a wildfire in the countryside, people should extinguish cigarettes properly, avoid using open fires, take glass bottles home and only use barbecues in a safe area.

“If you see a fire in the countryside, report it to the fire and rescue service immediately.

“Don’t attempt to tackle fires that can’t be put out with a bucket of water, leave the area as quickly as possible.”