FIRE chiefs have issued an alert to farmers and countryside visitors after fire ravaged a moorland.
Officers from Chorley Fire Station warned the weather may be cold and wet but that fires could still spread rapidly.
The fire was started by someone burning off dead plants and shrubbery in preparation for mowing the field, on Anglezarke Moor near White Coppice..
It went out of control and eight fire engines were called along with the police helicopter.
It took 60 firefighters around seven hours to bring the mile-wide blaze under control.
Dave Johnstone, Chorley station commander, said: "It's a very rare occurrence because landowners always notify us beforehand when they intend to burn fields. But this fire got out of control very quickly."
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