What’s been happening on the ground?
Recovery from the wildfire is well underway across the North York Moors. While this will be a very long-term process, there is already a great deal of practical work taking place on Fylingdales Moor.
From stabilising exposed soils to preparing for the return of grazing, activity is progressing steadily across the affected areas. Here is an overview of what is happening.
Coordinating the recovery
The North York Moors National Park Authority continues to co-ordinate a weekly Environment Group to guide recovery work. Those meetings bring together a wide range of partner organisations, including Natural England, Historic England, the Strickland Estate, the Duchy of Lancaster Estate, the Fyling Court Leet and Fylingdales Moor ESS Ltd, to oversee recovery and ensure work is carefully coordinated. These regular sessions provide space to review conditions on the ground, share findings from surveys and site visits, and agree the next steps for different parts of the moorland.
Alongside this, discussions continue with MOD representatives to ensure that groundworks can proceed safely and proportionately where required.
Stabilising the most sensitive areas
Once the wildfire was no longer a major incident and it was safe to do so, teams from the National Park Authority, alongside Yorkshire Peat Partnership and Historic England, walked large areas of the site to identify where erosion risks were highest and where peat or historic features required immediate attention. Historic England also provided aerial data for the northern part of the fire site, which has helped us identify some of the most severely damaged areas and survey priorities.
At John Cross Rigg, a nationally important archaeological site within the fire-affected area, emergency stabilisation works are already underway. Biodegradable coir matting has been laid to help hold soils in place and reduce erosion, with reseeding planned where appropriate to support recovery.
Elsewhere, further investigations are ongoing in areas where the fire has revealed previously unrecorded historic features. These are being carefully documented and assessed so they can be protected as recovery continues.
Monitoring of vegetation regrowth and peat condition is now part of our ongoing programme, helping us understand how the land is responding through the winter and into the growing season.
Reviewing the firebreaks
The firebreaks created during the emergency response were vital in bringing the wildfire under control. Each one is now being reviewed in turn. Some firebreaks may be retained where they offer longer-term resilience against future wildfire. Others are being assessed for reinstatement, with careful consideration given to peat, soils and natural drainage patterns.
In Sneaton Forest, work by Forestry England to reinstate firebreaks is progressing well, beginning with those that have the greatest impact on protecting waterways, maintaining soil quality, and supporting forest roads and access. The restoration of these breaks are incorporating measures to make the forest more resilient for the future, strengthening woodland health alongside recovery.
Planning for moorland recovery
A three-year framework has been developed to guide moorland recovery. This sets out stabilisation priorities and the sequence of work over the coming seasons. We are continuing discussions with DEFRA regarding recovery plans and funding options to support this programme.
National Park Authority staff have also undertaken long transect walkovers to prioritise areas for restoration, following delays to the gathering of data from aerial photographs. While work with Yorkshire Peat Partnership is helping us shape peatland repair, including the re-establishment of sphagnum moss.
Consideration is being given to appropriate seed mixes and techniques to support natural recovery, recognising that peatland systems can take time to respond and decades to recover.
What the land and communities need
Grazing is an important part of Fylingdales Moor's character and long-term management. Preparations are advancing to support its return, with all parties working towards reintroducing stock as soon as it is appropriate to do so.
Replacement fencing work to re-establish the moorland boundaries is now underway. Funded through DEFRA's Farming in Protected Landscapes programme, this is expected to be completed by the end of March, while Forestry England is also replacing damaged fencing between the forest and the common.
We are also exploring a potential three-year project to trial livestock tracking technology. Building on previous research in North Yorkshire, this would help provide a clearer picture of grazing patterns across the burned areas and allow land managers to respond if particularly sensitive sites require additional protection as vegetation begins to recover.
Alongside work on the ground, the Local Resilience Forum continues to request a comprehensive support package for impacted graziers and rural businesses.
Looking ahead
Wildfire recovery in a landscape like the North York Moors takes time. Early stabilisation work is in place, planning for the coming seasons is well advanced, and practical steps are being taken to support both environmental recovery and the return of traditional land management. Good progress is being made, but it is a significant undertaking that will require sustained commitment and funding.
We are grateful to the landowners, graziers, professional advisers, agency colleagues and community representatives who have brought their expertise, commitment and diligence to this work. Their involvement and their commitment to working in partnership is helping to shape a recovery that respects both the land and the people who care for it.
We will continue to share updates as projects and recovery work progresses.