A major incident has been declared as firefighters battle a large heathland fire on the Suffolk coast.
Suffolk fire and rescue service was called to reports of a wildfire at Dunwich Heath, near Leiston, shortly after 5.30pm on Wednesday and remained there on Thursday morning. About 90 firefighters were on the scene, and several people had been evacuated.
The fire was spreading south-west, the service said, confirming a major incident had been declared “due to the size and complexity” of the blaze. The public has been advised to avoid the area if possible and keep windows and doors closed.
As a precaution, crews have been focused on protecting nearby properties, while preparations have been made for the potential evacuation of about 200 caravans at the Cliff House holiday park should conditions require it.
Dan Davis, a Suffolk fire and rescue service station manager, said: “Crews from Leiston attended the scene and were met with what is a large-scale, wind-driven forestry fire.
“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.”
Those displaced as a result of the fire were advised to attend Westleton Village Hall at 8am for further updates.
Specialist drone support was being used to help assess fire behaviour and support operational decision-making through the night, with crews also using multipurpose all-wheel-drive Unimogs and 4×4 quad bikes.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) had issued an amber heat-health alert for the East Midlands, the east and south-east of England and London, remaining in place until 9am on Thursday. The agency has previously warned that rising temperatures may increase health risks, particularly for vulnerable groups.
In Scotland, crews said they were making “significant progress” tackling a wildfire in the Cairngorms that broke out two weeks ago.