A BLAZE in South Craven caused by an out-of-control bonfire took the dubious honour of being the joint biggest fire call out in West Yorkshire last year.

The fire at High Bracken Hill Farm in Silsden in April, 2022 saw 80 firefighters dispatched to the rural site, along with 13 fire engines.

After the incident West Yorkshire Fire Service said the barn fire had spread from an out-of-control bonfire.

The only other fire to require such a response in West Yorkshire in the same period was a blaze at Wolseley UK Ltd, a car repair site in Morley in June. That fire was caused by welding equipment and also saw 80 firefighters deployed.

Both fires are included in the list of biggest blazes in West Yorkshire over last financial year – April 2022 to March 2023.

In that period the fire service were called to 33 fires that required six or more engines – up from 30 the previous year and the highest level in five years.

Nine of those fires were in Bradford.

The details of the fires are included in an annual report going to West Yorkshire Fire Authority at its AGM on Thursday.

Major local incidents include: The fire at P Waddington and Co on Buck Street in November led to 70 firefighters attending. That incident was caused by a faulty vehicle parked in the building.

Ten engines and 56 firefighters from across West Yorkshire were sent to a fire at a wholesale warehouse on City Road in late January.

The incident was also attended by the Service’s Hose Laying Unit from Mirfield and the Personnel Refreshment Unit from Skelmanthorpe.

That blaze was caused by faulty electrical equipment in the building.

An arson at Canterbury Youth Centre in February required 42 firefighters to bring it under control. The building was so damaged that in needed to be demolished.

A fire at a recycling site, Providence Mills, Wormald Street – Liversedge required 12 engines and 72 firefighters.

The fire was thought to have been caused deliberately.

A fire at a shisha lounge at Dolly Lane, Burmantofts in Leeds in March was attended by 40 firefighters.

That blaze was caused by combustible materials being left too close to a heat source.

The report also reveals that arson incidents in West Yorkshire rose by 3.3 per cent compared to the previous year.

House fires were down 5.7 per cent and non-domestic building fires were down 11.1 per cent.