logo
Wildfires break out in New Forest and Yateley woods and heath

Wildfires break out in New Forest and Yateley woods and heath

BBC News12-05-2025
Fire crews in the south of England have been tackling a number of wildfires over the weekend after a period of prolonged dry weather.The first, in woodland at Yateley Heath Woods, Blackwater, broke out on Saturday at about 19:00 BST and took more than three hours to put out.About half an hour later, crews were called to another woodland blaze at Bransgore in the New Forest which was put out late on Sunday after engulfing a hectare of heathland and woods.Hampshire & Isle of Wight Fire & Rescue Service said crews also fought a gorse fire at Yateley Common on Sunday evening, with crews due back to check for hotspots.
The largest of the three fires, near Burley Road, Bransgore on the Hampshire/Dorset border was tackled by crews from both counties.Firefighters worked through the night on Saturday with nine fire engines present at the height of the blaze, along with several land rover pumps and water carriers.People living nearby were urged to keep their windows and doors closed due to the smoke.The fire in Blackwater destroyed a large area of woodland in Yateley Heath Wood.Causes for the three fires have not yet been established.
You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Somerset farmers' flood worries as EA stops small rivers support
Somerset farmers' flood worries as EA stops small rivers support

BBC News

time17 minutes ago

  • BBC News

Somerset farmers' flood worries as EA stops small rivers support

Farmers say they worry the risk of flooding will increase after the Environment Agency (EA) announced it was stopping maintenance on smaller rivers and Winslade, a farmer near Burrowbridge in Somerset, said maintenance was key to preventing flooding disasters like the one that hit his and many other people's land in said: "It's the whole of Somerset that needs to have the maintenance done. Maintenance is key. You cannot walk away from it."The EA said it has to "prioritise what works can be delivered to minimise flood risk with the funding available". A spokesperson added: "We have made the decision to reduce discretionary vegetation cutting on some specific sections of watercourses because the work we have been doing has been identified as having a low flood risk benefit." Mr Winslade said it was a lack of maintenance that led to the 2014 flooding."The village had been evacuated. People with dementia, my father was one of them, they didn't come back for 11 months and didn't come back the same people," the farmer said."Some people didn't come back at all, they passed away while away."Not only that, the devastation to the wildlife. It took 10 years for the wildlife to recover properly," he added. The MP for Glastonbury and Somerton, Sarah Dyke, said she was still working with constituents whose properties flooded 18 months ago, and they had not been able to return to their homes yet."The impact of flooding is absolutely awful on our residents across Somerset," Ms Dyke said."Farmers and landowners now have a draconian responsibility to maintain the rivers."People just don't have the equipment or knowledge to be able to maintain a river." Calling for a reversal The Somerset Drainage Boards Consortium said it was pressing the EA to reverse the a statement it said: "Partners will now escalate this resolution to National Environment Agency leaders and Government, calling for urgent engagement to identify a fair, workable, and lasting solution."The EA spokesperson added: "We will continue to manage the risk of flooding and maintain our assets, flood alleviation schemes and monitoring water courses to provide flood warning services."

Engineers reveal new clue about massive Surrey sinkhole
Engineers reveal new clue about massive Surrey sinkhole

The Independent

time2 hours ago

  • The Independent

Engineers reveal new clue about massive Surrey sinkhole

A large sinkhole that appeared in Godstone, Surrey, in February started with a burst water main, engineers have confirmed. Investigations into the sinkhole also uncovered a network of abandoned Victorian sand mining tunnels beneath the village. Engineers are still unsure what caused the water main to burst and are not yet directly blaming it for the sinkhole's full appearance. The affected road is not expected to reopen until at least December, leading to significant financial losses for local businesses due to reduced passing trade. The incident led to the evacuation of over 30 homes in February, and businesses expressed frustration over a lack of communication regarding repair plans. Mystery of massive sinkhole that engulfed Surrey street closer to being solved

Fields destroyed as fire in Alderholt spreads
Fields destroyed as fire in Alderholt spreads

BBC News

time4 hours ago

  • BBC News

Fields destroyed as fire in Alderholt spreads

Fire crews have tackled a large fire that spread across two fire started in a grass field off Hillbury Road, Alderholt, on the Dorset/Hampshire border and rapidly spread to a second on Wednesday at about 14:30 from both counties were sent to put the fire out with people urged to avoid the area and a road closure was put in place through the early fire was brought under control by 17:30 with crews remaining into the evening to dampen down. The cause of the fire is not yet known. You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store