Prime Minister Andy Burnham has promised that firefighters tackling a wildfire near a nuclear power station in Suffolk will have “all the support” they need, as the blaze continues to grow. Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service declared a major incident after being called to reports of a fire at Dunwich Heath, near Leiston, at around 5.30pm on Wednesday.
By Thursday afternoon, the area affected had grown to 150 hectares – the equivalent of approximately 210 football pitches – with 18 fire engines and more than 100 firefighters at the scene. The fire is located a few miles from Sizewell B nuclear power station and the construction site for the new Sizewell C power station.
Prime Minister's pledge and ongoing response
Speaking to reporters during a visit in Cumbria on Thursday, Mr Burnham said: “We’ve got the situation under close monitoring, and I’m receiving regular updates. It is a very serious incident. I will make sure that Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service have all of the support, the mutual aid, the other services that they need, and any other resources that need to be brought to bear.”
Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service said the major incident response is expected to continue for at least another 48 hours. Around 50 people have been evacuated to Westleton, where the village hall serves as a rest centre. “Changing wind conditions continue to affect the direction and behaviour of the fire, making it difficult to predict how it may spread,” the service stated on its website. “Firefighters continue to work with support from our neighbours in the region. We have also requested additional national support, including wildfire specialist appliances, officers, and tactical advisers.”
Evacuations and impact on nearby facilities
Cliff House Holiday Park, containing approximately 200 caravans, has been completely evacuated as a precaution. Dilys Hall, 75, who has been helping evacuees, described them as “bemused”. She said: “They were all concerned but they all realised that until the morning came, and things settled down a bit, there wasn’t a lot that could be done. At lunchtime it became clear that the fire was serious enough that nobody was going to be able to get back, particularly to Cliff House, which was where a lot of the evacuees have come from, until at least late afternoon tomorrow, and possibly later than that.”
Lisa Gordon, 54, who was on holiday with her husband and dog in their touring caravan, evacuated from Cliff House on Wednesday night. She said: “Just looking at the pictures… it’s quite worrying how close it is to the park now. It’s a car, it’s a caravan, and it’s insured but at the end of the day it’s a lot of hassle, isn’t it? They are things that can be replaced. But it’s not the relaxing day we thought we’d be having.”
Power cuts and political reaction
Power has been cut to three postcodes across Suffolk, affecting 116 customers, with teams from UK Power Networks working to fix the issue. The fire service also posted a video showing damage to blackened trees and scorched ground at RSPB Minsmere nature reserve, where the fire has spread.
Green Party leader Zack Polanski called for Mr Burnham to host an emergency Cobra meeting to discuss the outbreak of wildfires. He said: “Thousands of people have been killed by deadly temperatures in the most extreme heatwaves we’ve ever faced. And yet our Prime Minister is silent in the face of this existential threat. Burnham should call a Cobra meeting and set out urgently how his Government will keep people safe amid this crisis.”
The fire service said some rain is possible overnight, but several more dry days are forecast. According to the Met Office, Suffolk has received only 2% of its average monthly rainfall for July so far. The fire service expects the response to continue for at least 48 hours.
