Derbyshire wildfire prompts road closures and overnight monitoring

FIREFIGHTERS have been working to control a large wildfire on moorland near the Errwood Reservoir in Derbyshire, according to Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service (DFRS).

The fire service said it received a call at 11.42 on Wednesday and deployed ten fire engines from Derbyshire and Cheshire.

Derbyshire Police said a section of the Cat and Fiddle route near the A54 junction had been closed due to smoke, and other closures may be implemented if needed.

DFRS also confirmed a road closure near the Errwood Hall car park and advised the public to avoid the area.

Staff from the Cat and Fiddle distillery expressed concern over the fire’s proximity. Marketing manager Melanie Selstrom, according to the BBC, said: “We noticed the smoke between 10:00 and 11:00, and for hours it was a safe distance away. But the wind keeps changing, and suddenly it goes much closer, and when you are in a building full of alcohol and gas, that made us nervous.”

She added: “The fire crews are keeping parts of the distillery wet and putting dams in the car park, and we are getting lots of updates, but it’s left us feeling a bit shaky.”