Strong winds and a long dry spell raise fears of fire on these hills. Some pretty bad ones are raging now. On Blacka there is very dry bracken straw in many places waiting for a cast-aside cigarette butt to ignite it. But in reality how would we compare the risk here of a mostly greened-over landscape as against an unreconstructed grouse-style moor such as those seen in pictures of the present crop of moorland fires?
The new green bracken is already thrusting well through the old straw. The truth must be that everywhere demands care from visitors. But I question the wisdom of maintaining heather moors as they are as on Burbage alongside notoriously dry conifer plantations.
The luscious greenery found all over Blacka gives more hope. Some of the greenest areas owe their existence to a heather fire 30 or so years ago.
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