Wildfire Appeal
Donate today to help prevent devastating wildfires in the Peak District and fund vital work to restore moorland destroyed by fire.
Fire is the single biggest threat to our precious moorland habitats. Damaged landscapes take years to recover and hundreds of thousands of pounds to repair. Wildfires devastate wildlife and release huge amounts of pollution and carbon dioxide into the environment. In the last 40 years there have been over 350 reported wildfires in the Peak District, some of which have lasted for several days. The smallest spark is all it takes to start a fire which, in dry, hot conditions can spread out of control with terrifying speed.
Your donations will help to restore habitats devastated by fire and fund fire prevention activities to help reduce the risk of future disasters.
Help provide training for specialist fire-fighting teams
Firefighting operations are dangerous and costly. It is essential that specialist teams are trained to tackle serious moorland blazes.
Your donation will help support National Park Rangers to take part in training exercises and create co-ordinated plans to tackle large-scale fires. This work is done with partners in the Fire Operations Group which includes fire and rescue services, major landowners, water companies and wardens from the National Trust and RSPB.
Help to spread the word on wildfire prevention
Hot, dry spells increase the probability of fires but the main risk comes from people. We can all prevent wildfires by not taking any flames – including BBQs, campfires, cigarettes and matches – anywhere near moorland. Even a dropped metal tin or glass bottle can cause a flame which starts a catastrophic fire. Educating people about what they can do to prevent fires is essential. Your donation will help spread this vital message through public information campaigns and resources for schools.
Help to re-wet peatlands and reduce the risk of wildfire
Healthy habitats help prevent fires. Blanket bog is a type of peatland found only on moorland. Healthy blanket bogs are naturally waterlogged, reducing the risk of wildfire as well as providing homes for wildlife and specialised species of plants. Your donation will fund conservation work to restore blanket bogs, retaining more water in the peatland and helping to decrease the scale and impact of future wildfires.
Help restore habitats devastated by fire.
The damage caused by a fire can extend for several miles, leaving behind acres of blackened, bare peat and having a devastating effect on plants and wildlife.
Fire damaged moorland takes decades to recover but your donation will help to reduce this recovery time by funding essential restoration works. This will include work to lower the acidity of the soil to encourage the regrowth of specialist moorland species and the planting of sphagnum moss – one of the most important plants in healthy blanket bog.