THE suspected cause of a major fire which sparked a multi-agency response has been revealed.

Crews from across South Cumbria were called to Windermere on Saturday afternoon (June 17) as flames engulfed Gale Naze Crag near Waterhead.

Windermere Cruises urged lake users to steer clear of the Brathay and Waterhead area while emergency services tackled the fire.

Fire crews were able to quickly gain control of the blaze and damp down the surrounding areas.

Cumbria Fire and Rescue firefighter William Watson was the incident commander on the day.

He described the suspected cause of the incident as ‘careless’ and issued a stern warning.

“We suspect the cause was a discarded disposable barbecue,” he said.

“We don’t have concrete evidence but have heard reports that various people were seen in that area using barbecues for leisure purposes.

“We suspect people got to the area via a boat as it is private land.

“The fire quite quickly grew into a large fire which covered up to 500 square metres of land.”

Mr Watson said the surrounding environment has been put at risk as a result of the fire.

He said: “The wildlife will unfortunately suffer as a result of this. Nesting birds, ground dwelling animals and the trees will all be affected. Wildlife thrives here and any damage is lasting.

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The Mail: The fire in Windermere The fire in Windermere (Image: Submitted)

“The fire was able to spread very quickly because it was so dry. There was a risk this fire could have spread even further to properties, causing more damage to larger areas.

“Any careless acts like discarding disposable barbecues incorrectly is going to put the environment at risk.”

Mr Watson urged the public to be more considerate of their surroundings and refrain from using disposable barbecues.

“We see a lot of issues around barbecues and people not discarding them correctly,” he said.

“Please don’t go out and have barbecues and campfires. It’s causing huge problems and a strain on our resources. Be more considerate to the countryside, a fire in the open can easily get out of control.”