Major incident declared as crews battle Holt Heath fire near Wimborne
The public have been warned to stay away and the fire service said it was trying to protect nearby properties by surrounding the blaze.
Twenty homes have been evacuated as a precaution and locals told to keep windows and doors shut.
Pictures showed smoke billowing into the air from the scene, just north of Bournemouth.
Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service said it was called around 11.30am, adding that the fire was being whipped up by the wind.
"This fire is moving quickly and they [the public] could easily get caught out if they are too close and the fire spreads towards them," said a statement.
Crews could be at the scene for several days, said a senior firefighter, as hotter temperatures are forecast this week - prompting an amber wildfire alert in the area.
Anthony Bholah, the service's area manager, said at least 20 engines were involved in the operation and that neighbouring fire services were also helping.
He said the fire covered an area about 1000m by 800m and expected it would be a few days before it's full extinguished.
"There are some areas that are really difficult to access," said Mr Bholah.
"So we're being very cautious about how we approach it and we might call on some additional resources later on this evening."
It's not yet confirmed how it started, but he said an investigation would be carried out with police and prosecutions could follow if necessary.
The public has been warned not to fly drones over the fire as they could interfere with firefighters' own drones.
Crews are also still tackling another fire in Dorset - at Newton Heath, near Swanage - that's been burning since last Sunday and affects 21 hectares.
That fire is believed to have been started on purpose.
People are being urged to make sure cigarette ends are extinguished properly and to not throw them on the ground or from cars.
Barbeques on heath land, countryside or open spaces should also be avoided, warned the Dorset and Wiltshire service.
Large wildfires burn in Europe
Meanwhile, European nations have been dealing with much more destructive fires in what is becoming a growing problem in the summer.
At least 1,400 firefighters have been deployed in France's southern Aude region to try to stop the country's biggest wildfire in decades from reigniting.
The blaze was contained on Thursday after burning through 62 square miles this week.
1:30
Spain is also battling a fire in Avila province, 62 miles west of Madrid.
It had been contained by Saturday afternoon but authorities said the coming hours were critical.
In Greece, flames were fanned by strong winds in the Keratea region on Friday and reached residential areas 25 miles south of Athens.
The same day, smoke also temporarily closed the Dardanelles Strait in northwest Turkey, with a nearby university campus and care home also evacuated.
Local media said the fire started in a field in Canakkale province before spreading to a forested area.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
6 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Homes evacuated and major incident declared as wildfire spreads near Bournemouth
A major incident has been declared as about 100 firefighters are tackling a fire ripping through Holt Heath in Bournemouth. Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue are fighting to control the blaze which broke out near Wimbourne just after 11am this morning. Locals have been advised to stay clear of the area and 20 homes have been evacuated as residents are being ordered to keep their windows and doors shut. Dorset & Wiltshire Fire Service are currently also fighting another blaze at Newton Heath, near Swanage, which broke out last Sunday on August 3 and is the size of about 35 football pitches. Darren Langdown, Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service's assistant chief fire officer, said the force was 'extremely grateful' to neighbouring services from Hampshire and the Isle of Wight who have helped battle the fire. Langdown said: 'We have declared a major incident both due to the size of the fire at Holt Heath, and also the impact of this and Newton Heath on our overall availability of resources.' He also urged the public not to fly drones near the fire, as it could interfere with those currently being used by the fire service crews. The Holt Heath fire, which covers an area about 1000m x 800m, has resulted in road closures in Holt Heath village and at the junction between Holt Road and Higher Road. Windy conditions are said to be making the fire harder to tackle, as firefighters are trying to surround the area to prevent it spreading further. Residents compared the scene to a 'horror movie' and dog walkers quickly fled the scene as people miles away spotted billowing smoke from the Heath. One dog walker, Marcus Lastra, told the Bournemouth Echo that he witnessed the fire start as smoke rising in the distance, before quickly growing into a huge fire. Lastra said: 'Because it's an open area, the flames spread very quickly in the wind. In those moments before the fire brigade got there, it had really taken hold. 'They started spraying parts of it, but then another section caught fire an it just spread and spread. 'There was mayhem on the main road because people were stopping to take pictures.' Chloe Mountford, from Northbourne, said that her husband first spotted it from their son's bedroom window. She said: 'We're in Northbourne, so it's a long way away too but we could still see the smoke from our house's window. 'It's on a hill, so you could see it straight away. Every time the breeze went past, you'd see it's all showing and it's all getting bigger. Four hours later it was still about the same, with a lot of smoke.' Dorset & Wiltshire Fire Service said: 'We are currently dealing with a large fire at Holt Heath. 'This fire is spreading quickly and we strongly advise people to stay away from the area for their own safety. 'If you are a local resident you are advised to keep doors and windows closed.' Whilst the Newton Heath fire is thought to have been started deliberately, is not yet clear how the blaze at Holt Heath began.
The Independent
7 hours ago
- The Independent
Temperatures to climb above 30C by Monday amid yellow heat health alert
Temperatures will soar above 30C in parts of the UK by Monday with another exceptionally hot spell bringing a yellow health alert. A fine day on Sunday will be followed by 'strong August sunshine' for England and Wales in the new week, with even the chance of isolated thunderstorms developing, the Met Office said. The forecaster previously said temperatures could reach the mid-30s across central, southern and eastern areas of the country in the coming days, and another heatwave was possible in some areas. The UK Health Security Agency has issued a yellow heat health alert from 12pm on Monday until 6pm on Wednesday, covering London, Yorkshire and the Humber, the East Midlands, east of England, the South East and South West. There could be a significant impact across health and social care services, including the potential for a rise in deaths, particularly among those aged 65 and over or with health conditions. Tom Morgan, meteorologist at the Met Office, said: '[There is] definitely a north-south split in the weather [on Monday]. 'Quite cloudy across Scotland, Northern Ireland and parts of northern England, the rain tending to come and go, but most persistent in western Scotland. 'Otherwise, England and Wales seeing mostly sunny skies, although there will be more in the way of high level cloud out there compared to on Sunday, so the sunshine [will be] hazy at times.' Most areas of the country will have temperatures in the mid to high-20s on Monday, while some spots around London and the South East could have highs of 31C. There will be lots of blue sky and sunshine for 'the vast majority' of the UK on Sunday, with temperatures feeling noticeably warmer nationwide but particularly across northern areas thanks to a lighter breeze, Mr Morgan said. Highs of 28C are possible in London while temperatures will be comfortably into the mid-20s elsewhere. The heatwave threshold is met when a location records at least three consecutive days with maximum temperatures exceeding a designated value, according to the Met Office. This is 25C for most of the UK, but rises to 28C in London and its surrounding area, where temperatures are typically higher. Emergency services are already having to respond to the rising heat and ongoing dry conditions. Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service said they had declared a major incident on Saturday as about 100 firefighters battled a fire in Holt Heath, near Wimborne, while crews have continued tackling a large blaze at Newton Heath, near Swanage, which has been burning since last Sunday.
Telegraph
8 hours ago
- Telegraph
Major incident as 100 firefighters battle heath blaze
In a statement shared on X, the service said: 'This fire is moving quickly and they [the public] could easily get caught out if they are too close and the fire spreads towards them.' The fire swept through an area of around 1000m by 800m and it is expected to take a few days to extinguish completely. Antony Bholah, the service's area manager, said: 'There are some areas that are really difficult to access. So we're being very cautious about how we approach it and we might call on some additional resources later on this evening.' Neighbouring fire services were involved and the cause of the blaze remains under investigation. The public has been advised against flying drones over the blaze as crews are concerned they could obstruct the firefighters' own drones. Crews are also involved in fighting another blaze in the area, which is understood to have been started deliberately, at Newton Heath, near Swanage, which has been burning over 21 hectares since last Sunday.
