THE Winter Hill fire is under 'full control' and is no longer being treated as a major incident, the fire service has said.

Hundreds of firefighters have fought the blaze since it ignited close to the TV mast on Thursday, June 28.

But the number of fire engines now tackling the blaze has been reduced to six during peak hours.

A number of roads which were closed after the fire broke out have also been reopened.

They include Belmont Road and Scout Road, which were both shut almost three weeks ago so emergency services could tackle the huge moorland inferno.

However, public footpaths in the area remain closed while firefighters continue to work in the area.

Road users are being asked to exercise caution and to stay off the moors until it is declared safe.

Related: Fire Station releases video of Winter Hill blaze battle

Chris Kenny, Chief Fire Officer at Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service, said crews were now in 'a strong position', but would continue to monitor the moorland for pockets of fire.

He added: “We’re in a strong position today in what’s been a very difficult and complex incident.

"Thanks to extremely hard work from our crews and partners, we have successfully protected the vital infrastructure and properties in the area.

"We’re now able to further reduce the amount of resources involved while still providing round-the-clock protection.

“However, there is significant work ahead to bring the incident to an end. Our drone allows us to identify hot spots in the peat underground using thermal imaging and there are still areas burning beneath the surface.

“Although we’ve had some rain which helps to douse the land, firefighters will remain at the site until we can be more certain there is no further risk of fire. This involves monitoring the moorland for pockets of fire, damping hot areas down and maintaining control lines to prevent any fire from spreading.

“We ask the public to continue avoiding the moorland area so we can keep up the progress we’ve made."

Mr Kenny added: “My plea to residents and visitors is to take real care and be extra vigilant when outdoors. Disposable BBQs, discarded cigarettes and even rubbish left on the ground can all start a fire.”

Public Health England say air quality in the area is improving, but that there 'may still be times of poor air quality'.