Firefighters receive 'non-stop' calls to wildfires

5 August 2025

Emily FordBBC News, South of England

News image — Firefighters are continuing to monitor Newton Heath for hotspots after a blaze started on Sunday

Swanage Fire Station Two firefighters are walking through a section of burnt forest, their backs are to the camera. The firefighters wear a uniform featuring a beige coloured jacket and trousers with yellow reflective panelling around the arms, hips and ankles as well as a bright yellow hard helmet on their heads. They are both carrying hoses as they walk through blackened gorse on the floor, with smoke wafting up into the air. There are also a number of tall thin pine trees and more trees seen in the distance. — Firefighters are continuing to monitor Newton Heath for hotspots after a blaze started on Sunday

Footage has been released of firefighters tackling flames that engulfed an area the size of 30 football pitches.

Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service (DWFRS) previously reported receiving a "high number of calls" following a number of fires across the Studland area.

Swanage Fire Station has since released footage of them tackling some of the heath fire in Middlebere Heath on Sunday.

The station said crews experienced "non-stop" callouts from Saturday, to tackle fires at Middlebere Heath, Decoy Heath and Arne, while a blaze at Newton Heath flared up again on Tuesday.

Firefighters tackled a large fire in Middlebere Heath at the weekend

In a statement, Swanage Fire Station explained: "As you may be aware our station, as well as lots of others from Dorset, Wiltshire and Hampshire have been attending multiple fires in the area.

"Since midnight on Saturday, Swanage Station has been out almost non-stop to fires at Wareham, Arne and Rempstone Forest."

Crews from Swanage had been monitoring the Newton Health wildfire, which is believed to have been started deliberately.

DWFRS said the fire flared up again on Tuesday due to the strong winds in the area and "active fire fighting" was taking place on an area measuring 200m x 300m.

Nine fire engines and a Unimog vehicle were brought in to deal with the blaze, with firefighters expected to remain on the scene throughout the night.

The service confirmed the Decoy Heath and Middlebere Heath fires have since been extinguished.