Published Wednesday 19 August 2026 at 13:32
A Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) designed to reduce the risk of wildfires across the West Pennine Moors has been renewed for a further three years.
Since 2023, a PSPO has been in place to protect moorland across Blackburn with Darwen, Bolton and Chorley. Essentially a ban that applies to a designated area of public open space, it restricts the lighting of fires, barbecues, fireworks and Chinese lanterns, or any other object that creates a naked flame and could cause a fire. Breaching the restrictions is a criminal offence and could result in a fixed penalty fine of up to £1,000.
Following a consultation with residents, partners, landowners and stakeholders, Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council has renewed the order in partnership with Bolton Council and Chorley Council, working alongside Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service, Lancashire Police, Greater Manchester Police and United Utilities. This means the restrictions will be in place for at least another three years, before being reviewed again.
The renewal is especially important given the fact that there have been some significant fires on the moors around Darwen in recent years. In May 2020, a major wildfire on Darwen Moor burned for more than 60 hours and affected hundreds of acres of moorland, with over 300 breeding birds killed. The blaze was believed to have been started by a discarded barbecue. In 2022, around 1,000 square metres of moorland near Darwen Tower was damaged in a fire that was reported as having been started deliberately. More recently, in July 2026, around four hectares of Darwen Moor were damaged by a wildfire that required a major multi-agency response involving firefighters, council teams, landowners and utility partners.
Councillor Damian Talbot, Executive Member for Housing and Public Health, said:
Our moorlands are a valuable natural asset that provide important environmental, health and wellbeing benefits for residents and visitors.
Unfortunately, wildfires can have devastating consequences for local communities, wildlife, habitats and the emergency services that respond to them, which has been evident in the incidents across the country this summer.
Renewing this Public Space Protection Order sends a clear message that we are committed to protecting these landscapes and reducing the risks associated with dangerous fire-related activities, and we thank the public for complying with the PSPO in what has been one of the hottest, driest summers on record this year.
We would encourage everyone visiting our moorland areas to enjoy them responsibly and help keep them safe for future generations.