Wildfire contained after wind reignites flames

A wildfire thought to have been started deliberately has once again been contained after high winds caused it to reignite and spread.

Multiple fires were reported in the Studland area of Dorset on Saturday night and Sunday morning.

Firefighters had been damping down hotspots at the last incident at Newton Heath on Tuesday but by the evening it had taken hold across a large area.

Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue (DWFR) said crews were "continuing to tackle hot spots and prevent further fire spread" late on Wednesday afternoon.

At 21:00 BST on Tuesday, DWFR said the fire had spread across an area measuring 200m by 300m (650ft by 980ft).

By Wednesday morning it had been contained and a number of fire engines and small 4x4 appliances remained on scene, along with a Unimog off-road truck and a high-volume pump to support water supply.

The fire service said smoke was still rising and urged people to "stay away for their own safety".

It later said "good progress" was being made and resources were being reduced.

Swanage Fire Station said crews had received "non-stop" callouts since Saturday night, to tackle fires at Middlebere Heath, Decoy Heath, Arne and Newton Heath.

Firefighters and vehicles from stations across Dorset, as well as Wiltshire and Hampshire, have been involved in the operation affecting "dense heathland and forest".

Fire service group manager Stuart Gillion said DWFR was working with Dorset Police to establish the cause of the fires that were "all likely to have been deliberate ignition".

In a separate incident, crews spent the night tackling a fire covering about seven acres of woodland and grassland near Redbridge Lane, Crossways.

The alarm was raised at about 16:50 BST on Tuesday and the fire was put out by 07:00 on Wednesday.

The cause of that fire is not yet known.

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