Aussie-style wildfire warning sign placed in Derbyshire's Peak District

Tony Price from Moors for the Future said dry springs have brought a new fire risk season to the Peak District. “In the past, hot summers were the main time for fire risks, but now we’re really concerned about the spring,” he said.

After a long period of little or no rain early in the year (almost 12 weeks this year) the previous season’s dead bracken and grass becomes a bone dry fire risk before the rains arrive and bring new growth. By summer, there are usually enough green plants to at least reduce the risk and damage from moorland wildfires.

So now the Peak District has two fire seasons, in spring and high summer, and conservation organisations like Moors for the Future are looking to Australia for ways to encourage visitors to cut out the campfires, and leave barbecues at home.

Tony learned Matlock mobile traffic sign company MVIS had a spare Australian fire risk sign they were happy to donate so Moors for the Future could run a trial for a few weeks at Owler Bar, to see if the sign’s ‘No Fires. No Barbecues' message would hit home.

The sign can be updated in real time, and shows a dial with current risk level. Even after the gentle rain last weekend, the sign remained at Extreme.

In the Australian designations that means: ‘Dangerous fire conditions. Fires will spread quickly and be extremely dangerous.’ It’s broadly equivalent to the High Risk category used locally, Tony said.

There have already been 30 wildfires reported in the Peak District this spring, caused by barbecues, camp fires and even empty glass bottles on a recent occasion near Froggatt.

When the land is dry, it can be like kindling for litter like cigarette butts and glass, say land managers, and sparks or heat from fires or barbecues can easily launch devastating blazes like the fire at Burbage in 2023.

But many people don’t seem aware of the risks, land managers say. When out on their now regular evening fire patrols, rangers learn that people sometimes travel from many miles away, with a campfire and beer for an evening by a beautiful moorland view, which they often film for social media to encourage more people to do the same.

“I think people sometimes just rock up in the Peak District to have fun,” said Ben Ashman from HVIS. “They don’t realise the damage they could cause. We had this sign available so we wanted to let Moors for the Future use it to help prevent damage to the Peak District.”

With its painted dial ranging through Moderate, High, and Extreme to Catastrophic risks, the new sign looks very strident compared to typical UK road signs, and Tony hopes it will catch the attention of the thousands of drivers and bus passengers heading out over Owler Bar every week.

“If just 10% of people see the sign and take note, I’d be happy,” Tony said. “It looks different, so I hope people who pass by won’t just dismiss it.”

If the trial at Owler Bar succeeds, Tony is asking MVIS about a larger sign later in the year, and possibly a new programme of Australian-style fire signs at more entrances to the dry uplands. Apart from damaging land and killing wildlife, moorland fires take up a colossal amount of time and human resources to put out, said Tony, and it’s terrible work for firefighters and moorland staff.

After a damaging fire at Big Moor a few years ago, the message from Danny Udall of the Eastern Moors Partnership was clear: “Please don’t bring barbecues, cigarettes or any sources of fire onto the moors. And please be vigilant for us - if you see anything suspicious, or see any smoke or fire, please call 999 straight away as the quicker we can get to a fire, the smaller it will be.”