Nearly 100 firefighters are continuing to battle a raging wildfire that has consumed 100 hectares of heathland on the Suffolk coast, an area equivalent to 140 football pitches. Crews have warned it could take another two days to fully tackle the blaze, which has forced hundreds of people from their homes.
Dramatic Scenes and Evacuations
Dramatic photos show thick plumes of smoke rising into the sky above Dunwich Heath, near Leiston, visible for miles. The fire started at around 5:30pm on Wednesday evening, prompting a large evacuation of a nearby holiday park and homes. Incident commander Christopher May of Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service said on social media: "Our crews have been fighting the fire throughout the night ensuring they protect life and property. Crews will continue to fight fire in the local area for probably the next 24-48 hours due to the size and complexity of the incident we face."
Public Urged to Stay Away
Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service has urged people not to head to Dunwich Beach or anywhere near the heathland "due to the ongoing nature and seriousness of the fire." A spokesman said: "We understand that the warm weather makes a trip to the coast very appealing, but for everyone's safety we are asking people to stay away from the area at this time. It is essential that the area and surrounding roads are kept clear to allow emergency services to carry out their work safely and effectively, and to help protect members of the public."
No Danger to Nuclear Plant
Leiston is about 5km from Sizewell B nuclear power station, but firefighters have said there is no thought of danger at this time. The blaze comes after half of England, including Suffolk, was officially declared in drought, bringing a high risk of wildfires, the Environment Agency warned.
Firefighting Efforts Overnight
Around 90 firefighters were deployed to the scene on Wednesday before the response was scaled back overnight as "little can be done" at nighttime. The response was scaled back up on Thursday, with around 14 fire engines at the scene.
Wildlife and Habitat Impact
Suffolk Wildlife Trust says it is "heartbreaking" to see the fire at Dunwich Heath "destroying precious wildlife habitats and causing distress and disruption for local communities." It urged people not to drop cigarette butts or have BBQs on the tinder-dry land. A spokesman said: "Suffolk is officially in drought, and nature reserves are particularly vulnerable to wildfires due to the exceptionally dry vegetation. We're thinking of the brave fire crews, the local communities, and the local wildlife."
Witness Account
Alex Tarry was jogging along the coast at 5am when he saw smoke behind the Coastguard Cottages at Dunwich Heath. He told the BBC: "I ran up there, there was a fire front that could have been half-a-mile long, about 150m away from me. The cottages were completely deserted but [the fire was] moving toward [them]. It's very sad, a huge amount of heath is being affected. It's just absolutely shocking, it's coming closer and closer... I've known [Dunwich Heath] all my life and the wildlife, the history, the habitats has just been consumed. It was noisy with explosions, and bushes and trees were bursting into flames. There was just a feeling of there's nothing you can do and feeling utterly, utterly helpless... it's shocking."
