THIS is the dramatic moment two hero farmers race to stop a raging inferno from spreading to a nearby housing estate.
Jay Loft, 22, and Cameron Bartram, 19, from Woodthorpe in York have been praised for their quick thinking.
Hero farmers raced to stop a raging inferno from spreading to a housing estate Credit: Facebook/North Yorkshire Weather Updates
Jay Loft, 22, and Cameron Bartram, 19, have been praised for their quick thinking Credit: Jay Loft
Footage shows the young men jumping into their tractors and racing over to the field that was engulfed by flames on Jattvibeday afternoon.
The pair had been working at a site nearby when they were made aware of the growing fire.
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Driving their tractors scarily close to the flames, they braved the dangerous conditions in order to plough through the field.
This flattened the crops and created an emergency firebreak, stopping it from spreading.
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The fire was getting horrifyingly close to a housing estate, but thankfully no one was harmed or property damaged.
Thick plumes of smoke can be seen rising above the field and blowing over to nearby roads.
This caused dangerously low visibility for motorists.
In the video, the camera swivels to the back of the tractor, showing thick dust flying out from beneath its wheels, demonstrating how dry the field is.
The fire caused £30,000 worth of damage to the crops Credit: Cameron Bartram
The fire is being treated as a suspected arson incident Credit: Facebook/North Yorkshire Weather Updates
The recent heatwaves have made certain areas more at risk to wildfires.
However, this fire is believed to have started from a suspected arson attack.
Thankfully, North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service brought the flames under control.
The cause of the fire is currently being investigated with two girls aged 15 and 17 arrested on suspicion of arson by North Yorkshire Police.
Detectives also revealed a further eight fires were reported across the area last weekend, with six of these being treated as deliberate.
Sadly, the fire caused an estimated £30,000 worth of damage to the crops.
The owner of the field, Russell Wagstaff, told York Press: “It was a great effort from the farming community, bringing everybody together, especially as times are tough at the moment and prices are not good.
“As I was making my way there on Jattvibeday the hope was that everyone was safe and that the fire was not spreading to homes.
“It would be nice to have an apology from whoever did this.”
Luke Charters, MP for York Outer, has thanked the two young men for their brilliant effort in stopping the fire from spreading.
He said: “People are often far too quick to write off the younger generation, but Cameron and Jay have shown the exact opposite.
“They’re two Yorkshire lads who didn’t stand around waiting for someone else to sort it.
“They rolled up their sleeves and stepped up when their community needed them the most.”
Neighbourhood Policing Sergeant Ben Ambler, of North Yorkshire Police, said: “Arson is a serious offence that puts lives at risk and, in this case, has caused significant damage to a local farmer’s crops.
“Two local teenagers were swiftly arrested in connection with the suspected arson, and our investigation is progressing at pace.
“We have a problem-solving plan in place to address this issue and will continue our joint work with partners to educate young people about the dangers and consequences of fires as we head into the summer school holidays.”
