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Flames visible for miles from moorland blaze

News imageBuckfastleigh Fire Station The image shows a firefighter standing in front of a massive wildfire at night on Dartmoor. They're wearing full protective gear, including a helmet marked "5000" and a jacket with "FIRE" on the back. The flames are towering and fierce, lighting up the sky with an intense orange glow. Smoke billows upward, and the ground is covered in vegetation, suggesting the fire is sweeping through grassland.Buckfastleigh Fire Station
The fire stretched about 490ft (150m) near the old shooting ranges at Rippon Tor

Fire crews were called to a large blaze on open moorland, with flames visible from miles away.

The fire stretched about 490ft (150m) near the old shooting ranges at Rippon Tor on Dartmoor, said Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service which was called just after 21:00 BST on Thursday.

Teams from Buckfastleigh, Ashburton and Bovey Tracey fire stations responded, supported by a water bowser from Torquay and an all-terrain vehicle from Exeter.

Crews used wildfire beaters to contain the flames and prevent the fire from spreading into nearby woodland, before they had to withdraw for safety reasons, said the fire service. A follow-up inspection is scheduled to assess the area in daylight.

News imageBuckfastleigh Fire Station This picture shows a nighttime landscape dominated by a large fire burning in the distance on Dartmoor. The sky is lit up with a vivid orange-red glow from the flames and smoke, which rise in thick plumes and merge into the darkness above. Bright flames stretch across the horizon, suggesting the fire is active and possibly spreading. In the foreground, dark silhouettes of trees and bushes stand out against the illuminated sky, creating a stark contrast that emphasises the intensity of the scene.Buckfastleigh Fire Station
Crews used wildfire beaters to contain the flames and prevent the fire from spreading into nearby woodland

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