The government has announced up to £3.2 million in funding to restore peatland and moorland damaged by last summer’s major Fylingdales wildfire in the North York Moors
National Park. The investment, delivered through the Nature for Climate Peatland Grant Scheme, will support repairs to the landscape after the blaze burned for more than six weeks between August and September 2025.
Restoration work will include repairing 17 kilometres of firebreaks cut during firefighting operations, stabilising damaged slopes, restoring peatland plants such as sphagnum moss, and reopening public rights of way across the moor.
The Fylingdales wildfire was declared a national incident because of its proximity to critical national infrastructure. At its height, the fire covered around 20 square kilometres, forcing road closures because of heavy smoke and emergency access needs.
A Fire and Rescue Service report published earlier this year concluded that the blaze began from a campfire and spread unnoticed through deep peat, causing extensive damage to wildlife habitats and the surrounding landscape.
Nature Minister Mary Creagh said: “The Fylingdales wildfire was an unprecedented event that caused serious and lasting damage to one of England’s most treasured landscapes. This funding will help bring the moorland back to life - restoring the deep peat that stores carbon, supports rare wildlife, and protects communities downstream.
“Resilient, rewetted peatland is our best natural defence against wildfires in the future, and I am determined that this landscape recovers stronger than before.”
North York Moors National Park Authority CEO Tom Hind said:
“Last year’s wildfire brought home the increasing risks that wildfire poses. It took a monumental team effort from fire and rescue services, local farmers and land managers and local agencies to extinguish and we remain indebted to them for their commitment.
“Fylingdales Moor is home to a wide variety of rare and precious habitats and wildlife and it’s vital that we not only restore these habitats but build in long-term resilience to climate change. This funding is a significant step forward in helping us address the long-term impacts of the Fylingdales Moor wildfire and we’re grateful to Government for recognising both the scale of the damage and the importance of restoring this nationally significant landscape.
“This investment will enable us to begin repairing the extensive firebreaks that were created to contain the blaze, re-establishing peatland habitats, stabilising vulnerable areas and creating a landscape that is better able to withstand the challenges posed by a changing climate.”
The government funding will be combined with additional contributions linked to Anglo American’s Woodsmith mine, ICL’s Boulby mine and the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority, forming part of a wider long-term recovery programme for the area. Photo by Wigulf~commonswiki, Wikimedia commons.
