Now Playing

Take That

You And Me

Silsden barn blaze needed biggest fire service response in 2022-23

Monday, 26 June 2023 15:06

By Chris Young, Local Democracy Reporter

A barn fire near Silsden caused by an out-of-control bonfire took the dubious honour of being the joint biggest fire call out in West Yorkshire last year.

The fire at High Bracken Hill Farm in Silsden in April 2022 saw 80 firefighters dispatched to the rural site, along with 13 fire engines.

After the incident West Yorkshire Fire Service said the barn fire had spread from an out-of-control bonfire.

The only other fire to require such a response in West Yorkshire in the same period was a massive blaze at Wolseley UK Ltd, a car repair site in Morley in June. That fire was caused by welding equipment and also saw 80 firefighters deployed.

Both fires are included in the list of biggest blazes in West Yorkshire over last financial year – April 2022 to March 2023.

In that period the fire service were called to 33 fires that required six or more engines – up from 30 the previous year and the highest level in five years.

Nine of those fires were in the Bradford district.

The report also reveals that arson incidents in West Yorkshire rose by 3.3 per cent compared to the previous year.

House fires were down 5.7 per cent and non-domestic building fires were down 11.1 per cent.

More from Latest local news

Rombalds Radio apps



Today's weather

  • Skipton

    Sunny intervals

    High: 17°C | Low: 8°C

  • Ilkley

    Sunny intervals

    High: 17°C | Low: 8°C

  • Keighley

    Sunny intervals

    High: 17°C | Low: 8°C