A LOCAL MP has called on the government to introduce a new wildlife strategy to protect farms in her constituency from moorland fires.

Marie Tidball, who represents Penistone and Stockbridge, welcomed the government’s commitment to extend a funding package for farming in protected landscapes during questions to the Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) minister, Emma Reynolds.

This funding is worth £75,000 to farms in Marie’s constituency.

She said during her visit to moorland near Dunford Bridge, Jim Sutton, the moorland manager, raised the high risk of wildfires in local uplands, due to large-scale dry spells.

Mr Sutton said the risk was ‘exacerbated by a lack of a cohesive plan and firefighting infrastructure, including water storage’.

Ms Tidball asked whether ministers would meet with her to develop a ‘cross-government wildfire management strategy to protect against upland moorland wildfires’.

In response, Ms Reynolds said she or the Water Minister ‘would be pleased to meet’ Marie to discuss how they can ‘strengthen the resilience of our emergency services and our water storage, so that we can get a hold on such problems when they arise’.

After the exchange, Marie said: “I look forward to meeting with the Environment Secretary soon to discuss the urgent need for a comprehensive wildfire management strategy to protect our local moorlands and farms.”