People planning to visit the North York Moors are being warned to be vigilant due to the continuing risk of forest fires in the National Park caused by ongoing dry weather.

Despite the fact that temperatures have been relatively low recently, the lack of any rain in the region has heightened the risk of fire, leading to the Park to post signs around the site and also offering special advice to visitors on how to avoid such hazards, its official website stated yesterday (May 20th).

Bernie McLinden, the North Yoirk Moors National Park Authority’s head of park management, said: "Lack of rain has made the Moors very dry and, as past episodes have shown, under these conditions moorland fires can spread extremely quickly causing significant damage to the landscape and its wildlife."

Mr McLinden added that visitors should avoid lighting fires and not discard cigarettes matches or bottles as these can all be fire hazards.