Firefighters in Greater Manchester have been tackling a large moorland fire near Holmfirth Road in Oldham through the night, with flames engulfing part of Saddleworth Moor and roads cut off.
Crews continue to battle blaze
In a statement issued on Thursday morning, a spokesperson for Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service confirmed: "Our crews have been tackling a moorland fire near Holmfirth Road in Oldham through the night."
The spokesperson added: "Please avoid the area while emergency services respond to the incident."
Context of summer wildfires
The blaze comes after wildfires have affected Greater Manchester and other parts of the UK over the summer, with firefighting unions calling current dry conditions a "national emergency". Earlier this summer, major fires broke out at Dovestone and Tintwistle, damaging nearly 1,000 acres of land.
Firefighters have made good progress in extinguishing some of the flames but are still tackling hotspots at the scene. This is a breaking news story, with further updates expected.
