Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service has sent personnel and vehicles to Suffolk to assist colleagues fighting a large wildfire that has been declared a major incident.
Cross‑county response as heathland blaze expands
Emergency services say the fire, first reported on Wednesday evening, has spread across a substantial area of lowland heath. By late Thursday the affected ground was estimated at about 150 hectares — roughly the size of 210 football pitches — with multiple crews remaining at the scene.
Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service confirmed that around 18 fire engines and more than 100 firefighters were engaged in firefighting operations. A helicopter has been used to deliver thousands of litres of seawater on to the burning land.
"One fire engine, crewed by four firefighters, and one 4x4 vehicle crewed by two firefighters are being sent to assist Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service in responding to the incident,"
Oxfordshire’s deployment is expected to allow Suffolk’s service to sustain its response while ensuring normal emergency coverage remains in place across Oxfordshire.
Environment, infrastructure and local concerns
The National Trust and conservation bodies have warned of severe environmental damage to fragile heathland habitats. Suffolk’s deputy chief fire officer has said the fire began on land linked to the RSPB Minsmere nature reserve.
Although the blaze lies a few miles from the Sizewell B nuclear power station and the Sizewell C construction site, authorities have indicated there is no immediate threat to those installations.
- What is known: the fire began on Wednesday and has continued to spread into Thursday.
- Resources at the scene include numerous fire engines, over 100 firefighters and aerial water drops.
- Oxfordshire has provided one engine (four crew) and one 4x4 unit (two crew) to support Suffolk.
| Item | Reported figure |
|---|---|
| Area affected | 150 hectares |
| Fire engines on scene (Suffolk) | 18 |
| Firefighters deployed | 100+ |
| Oxfordshire resources sent | 1 fire engine (4 crew), 1 4x4 (2 crew) |
Practical information for Oxfordshire residents
Although the incident is in Suffolk, readers should note that mutual aid between counties is common during large incidents. The deployment of crews from Oxfordshire does not indicate reduced capacity for routine local emergency response; the service has said arrangements remain in place to maintain normal coverage.
Residents should avoid the area around Dunwich Heath and Minsmere while crews operate and follow any local travel and safety advisories issued by emergency services. Where smoke affects nearby communities, people with respiratory conditions should take usual precautions and keep windows closed.
InfoRadar will update this story as further official information is published by Suffolk and Oxfordshire fire authorities and partner agencies.
