A huge wildfire that could be seen for miles is suspected to have been started deliberately.
The blaze broke out on marshland in Parkgate, near Neston, Wirral shortly before 6.30pm on Saturday as thick black smoke was sent billowing across the area. Crowds gathered on The Parade in Parkgate, an area that is popular with walkers and tourists, to watch the fire as it raged on into the evening.
At the height of the fire, which covered 500 square metres of marshland, six fire crews from Cheshire and Merseyside were at the scene. A police helicopter was sent out to monitor the direction the blaze was spreading in as the wind continued to blow the flames further. Firefighters used fire breaks to protect the homes of residents who lived nearby.
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Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service alerted police to the fire which is suspected to have been started deliberately. The blaze was largely extinguished by 11.30pm on Saturday but fire crews are expected to remain at the scene into the early hours of Sunday. People are asked to stay away from the area and several police cordons remain in place.
People in the area were shocked and saddened to see the fire on the marshland, which is home to a large variety of wildlife.
Jane Woodhead, who lives nearby, told the ECHO: “I feel really saddened, it’s a big part of our community. It’s scary as well. A lot of rare wildlife live on the marshland, it’s really worrying the impact it could have on them.”
Mrs Cartwright, who has lived in the area for the last 35 years, said it's the second fire she's seen on the marshland during that time. She said: “The sad thing about it is there’s creatures in there. You feel heavy hearted.”
In an update at 10pm on Saturday, Station Manager Carl Nevitt, from Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service, said: "The marshland is a site of special scientific interest. The fire is covering around one square kilometre of the area and is being driven by wind.
"We have created fire breaks to protect properties and the police air support unit has been used to give us information on the directional spread of the blaze.
"We expect to remain at the scene for at least the next three to four hours and would ask that people stay away from the area as we tackle the fire."
In a further update shortly after 11.30pm, Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service said: "There is one fire engine remaining at the scene and the fire is now mainly extinguished with only small areas of hot embers remaining. As the tide is coming in firefighters have withdrawn to a safe distance and are continuing to monitor the site for any potential flare ups."
