Moor fire ban renewed for another three years across West Pennine Moors

A Public Space Protection Order designed to cut the risk of wildfires across the West Pennine Moors has been renewed for another three years.

The order has been in place since 2023 across moorland in Blackburn with Darwen, Bolton and Chorley. It bans fires, barbecues, fireworks and Chinese lanterns, along with any other object that creates a naked flame and could cause a fire.

Breach the restrictions and it becomes a criminal offence, with a fixed penalty fine of up to £1,000.

Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council renewed the order after a consultation with residents, partners, landowners and stakeholders, working with Bolton Council and Chorley Council. The councils worked alongside Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service, Lancashire Police, Greater Manchester Police and United Utilities.

The restrictions will now stay in place for at least another three years before being reviewed again.

The renewal comes after several major fires on the moors around Darwen in recent years. In May 2020, a major wildfire on Darwen Moor burned for more than 60 hours, affected hundreds of acres of moorland and killed more than 300 breeding birds. The blaze was believed to have been started by a discarded barbecue.

In 2022, around 1,000 square metres of moorland near Darwen Tower was damaged in a fire that was reported as having been started deliberately.

More recently, in July 2026, around four hectares of Darwen Moor were damaged by a wildfire that needed a major multi-agency response involving firefighters, council teams, landowners and utility partners.

Councillor Damian Talbot, Executive Member for Housing and Public Health, said: “Our moorlands are a valuable natural asset that provide important environmental, health and wellbeing benefits for residents and visitors.

“Unfortunately, wildfires can have devastating consequences for local communities, wildlife, habitats and the emergency services that respond to them, which has been evident in the incidents across the country this summer.

“Renewing this Public Space Protection Order sends a clear message that we are committed to protecting these landscapes and reducing the risks associated with dangerous fire-related activities, and we thank the public for complying with the PSPO in what has been one of the hottest, driest summers on record this year.

“We would encourage everyone visiting our moorland areas to enjoy them responsibly and help keep them safe for future generations.”