Suffolk wildfire spreads across area the size of 210 football pitches as firefighters battle changing winds
A wildfire in Suffolk has burned through an area roughly the size of 210 football pitches, forcing evacuations and triggering a major incident declaration as
A wildfire in Suffolk has burned through an area roughly the size of 210 football pitches, forcing evacuations and triggering a major incident declaration as crews battled shifting winds on Thursday.
The fire broke out on Wednesday at Dunwich Heath, a stretch of coastal lowland in eastern England, and had grown to around 370 acres by Thursday afternoon. Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service said changing wind conditions were making the blaze hard to predict.
Dozens evacuated as crews hold the line
More than 120 firefighters were sent to the scene and remained on site as the fire spread across heathland and fields, leaving wide patches of land charred. Dozens of residents were evacuated from their homes. No properties were lost, according to a separate report, after what firefighters described as intensive efforts.
Chief fire officer Jon Lacey called it one of the largest fires he could remember in Suffolk’s history. Speaking at a Thursday press conference, he said crews had surrounded the fire with resources, especially along the advancing front, to protect buildings, forestry and other assets.
The blaze was still developing. The fire service said the shifting wind continued to change both the direction and behaviour of the flames, complicating efforts to contain it. That uncertainty has kept pressure on crews across the county.
A difficult patch of land
Dunwich Heath sits in a coastal area where dry vegetation can burn quickly once a fire takes hold. The scale of this one was already striking. Around 370 acres is a large burn scar by any measure, and the speed of spread left responders working against the clock.
Essex fire crews were also called in to help. Reports from the scene said evacuees were gathering belongings while firefighters made “good progress” on the second day of operations. But the fire was not out yet, and officials said the next 48 hours would remain critical.
Lacey’s warning was plain. “The fire is still developing. It is a challenging environment to be able to extinguish that fire,” he said. “We have surrounded it with resources.”
