Firefighters have brought a woodland fire near Gurney Valley in Bishop Auckland, County Durham, under control. Three crews attended the blaze, and residents are advised to avoid the area while crews remain at the scene damping down.
Fire under control, crews damping down
A statement from County Durham & Darlington Fire and Rescue Service said: "We currently have three crews in attendance at a woodland fire near Gurney Valley, Close House. The fire is now under control and crews remain at the scene damping down. Local residents are advised to avoid the area if possible and keep doors and windows closed."
Surge in outdoor fire incidents
The incident comes as the fire service assisted with over 1,000 calls in the last week, with a significant increase in firefighters responding to outdoor fire related incidents. Chief Fire Officer Steve Helps praised the efforts of firefighters, control operators and support staff who have gone above and beyond to respond to a huge surge of incidents during the latest heatwave.
The Chief also thanked the public for their support reporting incidents so crews can protect lives and property. Many of these incidents have been classified as wildfires due to their size and have seen crews battling to save homes in St Helen Auckland during extremely tough conditions.
