Overview
- Emergency crews tackled a string of large field and wildland fires between Monday and Wednesday that included a 100‑acre crop blaze near Aston Tirrold and a 50‑hectare wildfire near Swanton Abbott.
- Fire services deployed dozens of appliances, specialist units, water carriers and drones to contain blazes that needed hours of firefighting and follow‑up re‑inspections.
- Several incidents are linked to farming activity or overheating machinery such as combines and balers while other fires are being treated as suspicious and are under police inquiry.
- Precautionary measures included temporary power isolation affecting hundreds of homes and public safety advice from agencies urging early reporting and use of location tools like what3words.
- Authorities warned that the ongoing hot, dry spell raises wildfire risk for crops, hedgerows and grassland and urged farmers to maintain machinery, create fire breaks and report any smoke immediately.