The moorland fires around Manchester have been exceptional for the UK in terms of their size and proximity to big cities. Close to the fires people were advised to stay indoors with windows closed, but the impact spread much further; 27 June was an especially bad day, with smoke from Saddleworth Moor covering much of Greater Manchester, causing air pollution to reach eight on the government’s 10-point scale.
Particle pollution from the fire spread to Warrington, Wigan and St Helens, 37 miles (60km) away.
Smoke from the two later fires on Winter Hill near Bolton was seen on satellite images as it travelled over Lancashire to disperse over Morecambe Bay. This was measured by air pollution instruments in Blackpool.
Smoke from wildfires can travel a long way. Smoke from Russian forest fires moved as far as the UK in 2002 and again in 2006.
Other cities with wildfire problems include Sydney, Australia, whose 4 million residents have grown used to the smoke from planned fires in the Blue Mountains to the west of the city. These fires have led to an increase in people being treated in hospital for breathing difficulties, especially those with problems such as asthma.
