Crews tackle heathland fire that spread from van
The fire spread to verges and trees after a vehicle caught fire on the A31 near Ringwood.
A van caught fire near Ringwood in the New Forest on Sunday evening, prompting fire crews to respond immediately. The flames quickly spread to the surrounding heathland, creating a visible plume of smoke that drifted across the Solent. Twenty-six fire crews, along with water carriers and specialist off-road units, were deployed to tackle the blaze, which broke out just after 17:20 BST near the A31.
The A31 remained closed in both directions due to the fire and significant damage to the road surface and crash barrier. National Highways estimated no reopening time for the dual carriageway. Smoke from the fire prompted fire crews to urge people to keep doors and windows closed, and the fire service laid a large hose from Hightown Lake to supply water to crews.
Residents were advised not to drive over the hose to avoid damaging it and disrupting the water supply. Police urged motorists who had left their vehicles to call 101 with their number plate details for recovery. Traffic was diverted onto the A326 and A338 to rejoin the A31. The New Forest is a habitat for various wildlife, including wild ponies, deer, rare birds, reptiles, and insects.
Written by urgent.news from BBC News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
