Huge Darmoor wildfire destroys 12,500 acres as firefighters battle for 24 hours
It comes after the UK saw the warmest start to May on record
A vast wildfire has scorched approximately 12,500 acres of moorland on Dartmoor, prompting a large-scale response from fire crews.
Emergency services were alerted to the blaze near Merrivale and Okehampton around 2.25pm on Sunday.
Firefighters battled the flames for nearly 24 hours before finally extinguishing the fire on Monday.
Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service cautioned the public to avoid the affected areas, warning that the fire's behaviour could be "unpredictable" due to changing weather conditions.
It comes after the UK saw the warmest start to May on record, with 29.3C registered on Thursday afternoon at Kew Gardens, in south-west London, as firefighters battled a 2km moorland blaze which broke out near Ripponden, West Yorkshire, the same day.
According to the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC), as of 9am on May 1, fire and rescue services have responded to 439 wildfires since January 1.
That compares with 250 in the same period in 2022, 60 in 2023 and just 44 in 2024.
Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service posted an update to X on Monday evening saying: “Approximately 12,500 acres of moorland were destroyed by fire.
“Crews assisted by Dartmoor rangers and Commoners using firefighting equipment attempted to extinguish the fire to protect the environment.
“Crews used five Argo Cat vehicles, fogging units, leaf blowers and a drone.”
Dartmoor National Park posted a photo of the fire to X on Monday morning, asking people to keep their distance from the blaze.
It added: “The dry weather has left Dartmoor highly vulnerable to fire. Please don’t light BBQs or fires.”
Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service’s area manager, Simon Young, told the BBC: “Wildfires are always challenging because they are inaccessible for our appliances to go onto our moorland,” he said.
“It makes it very difficult, but we have specialist vehicles to make sure we have capability to get onto the moor and make sure we can do the job as safely as possible.
“The wind has really played its part and we are currently under amber wildfire conditions nationally for the next three to four days.
“We know the conditions are very dry under foot and with the wind it has just exacerbated it.”
Meanwhile, Surrey Fire and Rescue Service was called to a fire in the open at about 12.45pm on Monday on Turfhill, Lightwater in Surrey Heath.
People were asked to avoid the area during the afternoon due to heavy smoke as firefighters tackled the four-acre blaze.