Yorkshire Firefighters

It's the run-up to Bonfire Night and crews across some of West Yorkshire's 40 stations are wondering how lockdown - and the banning of organised bonfires - will affect their normally busy workload around November 5th. They soon find out as they are called out to a post box fire and reports of a firework being pushed through the letterbox of a house in Leeds, where a terrified mother and young daughter are inside.

With the county facing plummeting temperatures and snowfall to add to problems posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, firefighters are tested by a series of challenging fires and punishing driving conditions.

In the build-up to Christmas, crews on shift patterns do their best to enjoy the festive period away from their families. But it's all brought into perspective when a village community near Halifax is shaken by a devastating gas explosion which leaves two people seriously injured.

A veteran firefighter and local lad reflects on how times have changed in the service, and how he feels his background is vital for forging bonds with the communities the West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service protects.

Later in the episode, we meet a rookie firefighter who heads up onto an aerial platform to tackle a major fire for the first time. Her training is put to the test as she battles to save the building.

The expanding role of a firefighter - and how keeping people safe in their homes extends far beyond putting fires out - is brought into focus.

Increasingly supporting the police and ambulance service, firefighters now find themselves helping vulnerable people in their communities more than ever.

We later meet a Watch Commander who outlines the varied set of challenges his team face in Bradford, including protecting communities living in high-rise blocks, especially those cladded with similar materials to those found at Grenfell Tower in London.

Crews in West Yorkshire now undergo specialist training to prepare them for the possibility of facing a fast-spreading blaze in a high-rise.

Meanwhile, a young firefighter is put through his paces as he attempts to pass his blue lights driving course so he can drive a fire engine to emergencies. It's a big step up for this ambitious local lad who's always dreamt of serving the community he grew up in.

Rookie Lauren finishes her tough training, while the Leeds crew tackles a huge factory fire and hunt for a man feared trapped in his burning home.