Woodland destroyed in fire in Hartley Wintney

Firefighters have said a large area of woodland has been destroyed by a large outdoor fire.

Police responded to the fire at Star Hill in Hartley Wintney on Sunday afternoon.

Multiple crews from across Hampshire, with the assistance of colleagues from Berkshire and Surrey, worked to tackle the fire affecting an area of approximately 15 hectares consisting of woodland.

At the height of the incident there were 16 pumps and numerous specialist vehicles onsite, and Forestry England supported to create fire breaks using their machinery.

A scaled down number of crews remained onsite overnight to maintain fire breaks and damp down. A relief strategy is being put in place this morning (26 June).

People have been advised to avoid the area while the incident is ongoing.

Andy Weeks, a group manager from Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service, said "It's burned through roughly around 15 hectares, around 30 acres, or 30-40 football pitches. It's burned up through some woodland, across some more open land, through heather."

"Generally, throughout the year we're seeing far bigger fires far more frequently - they're more challenging to deal with. They're normally caused by accidental ignitions, so the best thing people can do is avoid getting into a position where they could potentially cause it."

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