A major incident has been declared and homes evacuated as firefighters tackle a massive heathland blaze at Dunwich Heath, near Leiston, on the Suffolk coastline. The wildfire broke out shortly after 5.30pm on Wednesday, during Britain's fourth heatwave of the summer.
Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service confirmed on Thursday morning that crews were still tackling the large wildfire. "Throughout the night crews have been focused on protecting properties including Coastguard Cottages, Mount Pleasant Farm and Cliff House Holiday Park," the service said. "All individuals have been evacuated successfully."
Fire spreads toward church
The fire spread south-west towards St James' Church, off Westleton Road. The major incident declaration was made "due to the size and complexity" of the fire. Station manager Dan Davis urged the public to avoid the area and keep windows and doors closed. "Crews from Leiston attended the scene and were met with what is a large-scale, wind-driven forestry fire," he said. "The incident has subsequently been upgraded to a major incident. We currently have approximately 90 firefighters on scene working incredibly hard in arduous conditions to bring this fire under control."
Heatwave and drought warnings
Temperatures climbed into the 30s on Wednesday. The UK Health Security Agency has issued an amber heat-health warning for the East Midlands, the East, South East and London, remaining in effect until 9am on Thursday. The Met Office forecasts a cooler shift with potential rain, though amounts may be modest. Separately, the Environment Agency warned that large parts of England are experiencing a "flash drought" due to extremely low rainfall and high temperatures, affecting East Anglia, Hertfordshire, London, Thames Valley, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Devon, Cornwall, the West Midlands, and Wessex.
Other wildfires across UK
The Suffolk blaze is one of several major wildfires being tackled across the UK. In Scotland, crews are making "significant progress" on a wildfire in the Cairngorms that started a fortnight ago. Several homes were evacuated, and thick smoke has scorched large areas. Deputy assistant chief officer Michael Humphreys said: "It's been an absolutely devastating fire for wildlife and for the local community who have come out in force to really support us, which we really do appreciate. To control this fire, what we've had to put in place is a significant number of fire breaks."
