Dovestone Reservoir overcrowding sparks fire concerns in Oldham

Dovestone Reservoir turned into a traffic nightmare on Saturday as hundreds of visitors flocked to the beauty spot during the warmest day of the year so far. Councillor Helen Bishop described the scene as 'rammed' with cars lining both sides of country roads and traffic marshals struggling to maintain order.

The chaos wasn't just about parking. Fire crews had to extinguish a barbecue fire near the boathouse and investigate smoke rising from behind trees near a brook. A fire engine from Mossley spent 40 minutes dealing with the incidents, highlighting the strain on emergency services during busy periods.

Signs warning of £2,500 fines for lighting fires, barbecues or fireworks were visible throughout the area, but clearly weren't deterring everyone. The councillor reported seeing 'a couple of barbecues which were duly reported and extinguished' before fire crews arrived to investigate the smoke.

This isn't the first time Dovestone has faced serious fire risks. The 2018 Saddleworth Moor wildfire, the largest in UK history, burned for weeks and devastated vast areas of moorland. Since then, the 'Be Moor Aware' campaign has been working to educate visitors about the dangers of fires and littering in the area.

With another warm weekend approaching, residents are being urged to follow the Countryside Code. A multi-agency information day is planned to help prevent a repeat of Saturday's chaos, as local authorities balance the benefits of tourism with protecting this precious natural resource.