Emergency crews are continuing to battle vast moorland wildfires near Dovestone Reservoir and Tintwistle, with thick smoke spreading across Greater Manchester.
Firefighters from Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service and Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service have been tackling the Dovestone blaze since it broke out on July 11, 2026.
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The Tintwistle wildfire has already burned an area equivalent to at least 350 football pitches.
Authorities closed the A628 Woodhead Pass to ensure the safety of responding vehicles.
Arrests Made in Connection with Dovestone Fire
Police have arrested three individuals in connection with the Dovestone Reservoir inferno.
A 20-year-old woman has already appeared in court charged with arson.
Officers arrested a 19-year-old woman on Thursday and a man in his 20s on Friday on suspicion of arson.
Both have been bailed pending further enquiries.
Officials noted that the emergency response at Dovestone Reservoir followed another incident on July 10, 2026, where an 18-year-old man tragically died after getting into difficulty in the water.
Helicopters Deployed to Drop Water
Two helicopters are currently being deployed to drop water onto hotspots across both the Tintwistle and Dovestone Reservoir sites.
Wind directions threaten to carry smoke into more local communities.
Fire services reported that crews were also forced to extinguish another separate moorland blaze on Thursday after a vehicle caught fire during a crash on the A628 Woodhead Pass.
"Our firefighters continue to tackle two major moorland fires at Swineshaw and Dovestones," stated the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service.
