Video: The Fight for Wildfire Compensation in the North York Moors

The scars of August’s devastating wildfires are still visible across the North York Moors. In this recent report, ITV News shines a light on the urgent financial crisis facing the farmers and land managers left to pick up the pieces.

Over 5,000 acres of precious moorland were destroyed in the blaze. For many, the loss is immediate and brutal: with fencing burnt and grazing land incinerated, there is simply no food for livestock. As the report highlights, some farmers have already been forced to sell their herds just to survive the winter.

The core issue is a glaring "policy gap." While government grants exist to help businesses recover from floods, there is currently no equivalent support for wildfire victims.

This disparity is particularly stinging given that local farmers and gamekeepers were on the front lines, risking their safety to help the fire service contain the flames.

Local MP Alison Hume is now leading the call for parity, demanding that wildfire devastation be treated with the same urgency as flooding. It is a vital campaign to ensure that the custodians of our moorland are not left behind during the long road to recovery.

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