MORE than 50 firefighters battled for seven hours on Tuesday to put out the moorland blaze that was caused by a spark from a steam engine.

Thirty-eight hectares of heather-covered land were destroyed in the fire on the North York Moors, which required assistance from ten appliances from North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue.

The steam engines run by the North Yorkshire Moors Railway have been replaced by diesel locomotives between Levisham and Goathland to prevent any further fires caused by sparks.

Louise Caunt, senior fire control officer, said firefighters revisited the site, north of Levisham, yesterday afternoon.

She said: "It isn't unusual for the fire in that kind of environment to lie low and then rise up again, so we have to keep a check on the situation."

Land on Barden Moor and Fell Access Areas of the Yorkshire Dales National Park has been temporarily closed until there is a period of wet weather and the risk of fire is reduced.

Phil Richards, the authority's area ranger, said: "These temporary closures to the open moorland will minimise the risk of fire whilst the footpaths and bridleways remain open for everyone to enjoy in the warm weather over the Easter holiday."