A long hot period has left parts of the Dales tinder dry. Photo: YDNPA

A second English national park has warned visitors the area is tinder dry and at high risk of wildfires.

The Yorkshire Dales authority said people should not use barbecues as the warm, dry spell continues over the weekend.

Dartmoor National Park Authority issued a similar warning on Wednesday.

Temperatures in the Yorkshire Dales are likely to rise to up to 25C in the valleys on Friday, with felltops peaking at 16C. Saturday and Sunday are forecast to be only a few days cooler, with no rain expected.

The national park authority said grass and moorland in parts of the area are tinder dry.

David Butterworth, chief executive of the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority, said: “With the national park proving a popular place for people to get some exercise and fresh air, it’s important to leave the barbecues at home.

“Wildfires put unnecessary strain on emergency services as they work to combat the Covid-19 coronavirus.

“Nobody should be lighting fires or barbecues in the countryside and everyone should be taking their litter home to reduce the instances of fire.”

The authority added that car parks in the national park are likely to fill quickly if the coming weekend follows last week’s experience.

It said: “The national park authority will be updating the status of its car parks online throughout the weekend.

“Anyone planning to drive to the national park should check the car park status webpage before and during their journey.

“Experience of recent weekends indicates that car parks in the South of the national park, especially Malham and Horton in Ribblesdale, fill up early and quickly. We would therefore recommend, in addition to regularly checking the status of car parks, that people consider using car parks and walks in other parts of the national park.”