Firefighters attended a large fire involving a large store of straw bales at Wigsley Old Airfield, a former Royal Airforce (RAF) base, in Nottinghamshire.
Fire services responded to a call at 12:32a.m Sunday morning (July 13), and discovered approximately 12,000t of straw bales and standing corn ablaze.
According to Nottinghamshire Fire Department, at the height of the incident there was 10 fire engines in attendance, as well as a water bowser, the command support unit, and multiple rural firefighting vehicles.
The fire department said: “Crews worked extremely hard throughout the night to get this fire under control and to stop it spreading further.
“This morning (Sunday July 13) we reduced our attendance to three fire engines – firefighters on scene will be creating fire breaks and working to extinguish the fire.
“This fire will take a long time to extinguish and looks like firefighters will be on scene for the next few days, if not longer, working to fully extinguish the fire and determine a cause.
“Please avoid the area where possible whilst we extinguish the fire. If you can still see or smell smoke then please keep your windows and doors shut.”
Station manager at Nottinghamshire Fire Department, Jack Makepeace, who was officer In charge (OIC) at this incident, said: “It’s looking like we are going to remain on scene for the coming days, if not longer, whilst we work to fully extinguish the fire and determine a cause.
“I would like to thank both the staff on the fire ground and those working hard in our joint fire control room for the work they have done throughout the night, especially in the hot conditions.”
UK fire
Separately, a Staffordshire farmer is warning of fire risks for agricultural machinery after one of his tractor and tedder were engulfed in flames in a matter of minutes.
The tractor belonging to William Roobottom of Cowley Hill Farm went on fire in the middle of the road on Thursday (June 10).
Roobottom said the New Holland was returning from tedding grass out when its operator noticed a small fire on the right-hand-side of the cab.
The team member quickly pulled in, but within two minutes the whole machine was up in flames.
Roobottom said: “Metal can be replaced, and luckily everyone is safe and sound.”
He thanked the fire services for their quick call-out, saying they prevented the fire becoming a bigger problem – especially with dry grass and hedgerows surrounding the tractor.
