Fire on Dartmoor is so big - you can see it from Cornwall
The blaze near Peter Tavy, north of Tavistock, lit up the sky an eerie orange and could be seen for miles
Last updated 12th Feb 2021
A fire that has broken out on Dartmoor was so big, it could be seen from across the border in Cornwall.
The blaze near Peter Tavy, north of Tavistock, has been burning through the night.
Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service said they had a "large number of resources" at the scene.
However at one point, crews were said to be struggling to reach the fire because of ice on the nearby roads.
Scroll down to read the latest updates from Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue.
Eyewitnesses have been sharing photos showing the sky lit up an eerie orange colour.
People from Plymouth, Saltash and across to Launceston tweeted to say they can see the flames.
Sarah shared the above photo, writing: "Must be a huge fire on Dartmoor if you can see it this clearly from Saltash".
Rob posted: "Saw the fire on Dartmoor and I'm in Launceston. That's 12+ miles away as the crow flies".
Professional photographer and photojournalist, Benjamin Lawley, shared these images from Dartmoor on Thursday night.
He said firefighters from across Devon were at the scene of the blaze, that was being fuelled by strong winds.
"Currently on Dartmoor where a large fire continues to rage with strong winds making it difficult to control. Fire Fighters from across the county are at the scene".
"You can see the glow and it's kind of a bit apocalyptic really.
"As we got to the other side of Tavistock, we basically saw the moor alight really.
"Quite a large fire, lots of wind and kind of being blown across. Lots of large fire crews and the response teams present so it was quite amazing to see".
Benjamin Lawley
You can watch the full interview between Benjamin Lawley and our reporter, Andrew Kay, below...
Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service have been tweeting updates through Thursday night and Friday morning, including a warning to people driving to the scene to take photos.
"We’re aware that some people have arrived nearby to get a glimpse/photo of the fire. This is extremely dangerous and certainly not an essential journey! Please stay away from the area for your own safety".
Just after 10pm they said: "Multiple calls were received earlier on in the evening for a report of moorland on fire on Dartmoor in the area of Peter Tavy. We have a number of pumping appliances, 4 x 4 vehicles and supporting officers currently monitoring the situation".
Just before midnight they posted: "The weather is making conditions for firefighting extremely dangerous - it’s very windy and low visibility so we’re maintaining our presence but fighting in ‘defensive mode’, which means we’re working to stop the fire from getting worse until conditions improve for us to do more." We’ve assessed the situation and there is currently no risk to life in the path of the fire".
The latest update reads: "Multiple calls were received for a report of moorland on fire in and around The Meads.
"Crews from Tavistock, Plympton, Princetown, Okehampton, Crownhill, Totnes, Chagford, Holsworthy and Crediton attended this incident along with supporting officers.
"One of the first fire engines on arrival reported a large fire involving the moorland which was some considerable distance from the roadside.
"Crews began to gather further information before formulating a plan on how to proceed further.
"Due to the inaccessibility of the fire and severe weather conditions a decision was made to maintain a presence and monitor.
"Throughout the night 4x4 vehicles carried out visual checks of the area and reporting back.
"Currently a representative from Dartmoor Forest is carrying out checks of specified areas to assess the situation".
Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service
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