The troops began arriving Thursday to help exhausted firefighters who have been trying to contain the large and stubborn inferno for five days over difficult terrain and in scorching weather. The troops from the 4th Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland, will join more than 100 firefighters who have been working rolling 12-hour shifts to tackle the seven square miles of Saddleworth Moor, smouldering with pockets of fire since Sunday. A major incident was declared and the Army remains on standby as Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) put in a plan of action to douse the fire which initially broke out on Sunday afternoon before it reignited the following day and has since worsened. Tony Hunter, assistant chief fire officer of Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service, said: "We have made significant improvements but I would put an air of caution there though - we had a similar occasion yesterday where we thought we were on top of it and it flared up." “If there is a change in wind to the opposite direction, it is a completely different picture then in terms of the fuel available to this fire.”

Mr Hunter said the firefront has widened to between two and two-and-a-half miles (3km-4km), in six different locations, and if the wind blows the flames back on to the moors it will act as a “fuel source” for the fire. Firefighters had been working until dusk on Wednesday night and, as it was too dangerous to go on the moors at night while it is on fire, an assessment at first light showed there was no “significant increase”. “I think we are looking at one firefighter to three or four troops, so they can provide extra manpower to go and support them.”

Firefighters prepare to tackle the wildfire on Saddleworth Moor (Danny Lawson/PA)

Mr Hunter said the soldiers’ help would allow the service to keep other fire stations and engines available to deal with emergency calls as the moorland blaze continues

He thanked local residents and businesses who had provided refreshments to officers and asked the public to “be aware” of the smoke and local conditions, keep access routes free for emergency services vehicles and stay away from where they are working. An RAF Chinook helicopter is on stand-by to aid the firefighting effort (Owen Humphries/PA)

If the fire worsens, GMFRS will be able to an on-call out an RAF Chinook helicopter, based at RAF Odiham in Hampshire. A helicopter drops water as firefighters tackle the wildfire on Saddleworth Moor (Peter Byrne/PA)

Firefighters have used beaters, and a helicopter has been dropping water on to the fires, which first started on Sunday and led to around 40 homes being evacuated on Tuesday night in Carrbrook, near Stalybridge. A police helicopter was deployed to assess the scene across Tameside – where plumes of smoke can be seen from space via Nasa satellites – and discussions between fire bosses and their military counterparts followed. Smoke rises from the fire on Saddleworth Moor (Danny Lawson/PA)

Air quality levels in the area are being monitored regularly, with people in affected areas urged to follow advice from Public Health England and keep their windows and doors closed.
As the Saddleworth Moor wildfire continues to burn for a sixth day, the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service have requested for military assistance in fighting the fire to be extended for at least another three days.