Woman arrested over fire on West Yorkshire moor

Police have arrested a 48-year-old woman in connection with a fire which started on Saturday morning on Ilkley Moor, in West Yorkshire.

A West Yorkshire police statement said officers received a report at 9.55am of a fire and suspicious behaviour by a woman on moorland near Hangingstone Road in Ilkley.

Police arrested the 48-year-old woman at the scene and closed roads in the area.

Ten fire engines were called to the affected area and people were urged to keep away. West Yorkshire fire and rescue service later said the fire had been extinguished.

Last month’s fire on Ilkley Moor.Photograph: Simon Wilkinson/SWpix/Rex/Shutterstock

In a tweet, it said: “Crews have been working hard on Ilkley Moor this morning. The fire is out and the incident is now being scaled back to four fire engines. Road closures are still in place in the area but we are working to get them open again as soon as possible. Thank you for your patience.”

The service received more than 65 emergency calls about the fire and said there was “a lot of smoke in the area”.

Residents posted images of smoke billowing from the area, with one saying: “Not again – fire on #Ilkley Moor close to Hangingston Road after the Cattle grid”.

It is the second time in a month that the area has been affected. Over Easter weekend in April, more than 70 firefighters were called to Ilkley Moor, which is south of the town of Ilkley, and a helicopter was deployed after a large area of the moor caught fire.

Ilkley Moor is famous for its picturesque walks and its Cow and Calf rock formation, and also for inspiring Yorkshire’s unofficial anthem, On Ilkla Moor Baht ’at.