A MOORLAND fire that broke out on the hills above Stalybridge is believed to have been a controlled burn that became anything but.
Firefighters descended on the Millbrook and Carrbrook areas after a large band of flames was visible on the hills above Millbrook Primary School.
It is understood what started as a controlled burn by a local landowner escalated in windy conditions on Tuesday, March 18.
Smoke and the smell of burning blew across the Tame Valley to Heyrod too.
But a spokesperson for Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service told how its personnel mounted a large-scale response to later bring it under control and put it out.
They said: “‘At just before 1pm on Tuesday, March 18, six fire engines and four specialist wildfire units plus the air unit were called to a fire on the moors above Stalybridge in the Carrbrook area.
“Firefighters worked quickly to bring the fire under control and extinguish it.
“The incident has been scaled down with some crews remaining on the scene to dampen down any remaining hot spots.”