A significant fire has broken out at Dunwich Heath in Suffolk, with smoke from the blaze visible from Leiston. Fourteen fire appliances are at the scene as crews work near the Coastguard Cottages and along Westleton Road.
The fire is spreading south-west towards St James' Church, and hot, windy conditions are adding to the task facing Suffolk Fire and Rescue. Members of the public have been asked to avoid the area and keep roads clear for emergency vehicles.
Suffolk Fire and Rescue response
A spokesman for Suffolk Fire and Rescue said residents affected by smoke should keep windows and doors closed where possible. That advice is aimed at people downwind of the fire, where smoke can travel beyond the immediate fireground and affect nearby homes even when they are not close to the flames.
The blaze is tearing through Dunwich Heath, a National Trust site by the coast in Suffolk, while crews try to limit its spread. The site’s open ground and exposed coastal position leave firefighters dealing with a moving fire edge rather than a fixed point, which makes the spread toward St James' Church more serious for the response.
Smoke visible from Leiston
Smoke visible from Leiston shows the fire is not confined to one small patch of heath. Fourteen appliances in attendance also points to a large-scale response, with crews being pulled in from across Suffolk to deal with a fire that is still active.
What began near the Coastguard Cottages has already pushed south-west, and the combination of heat and wind is helping the blaze move. The immediate practical step for anyone nearby is simple: stay away, leave the roads open, and close windows and doors if smoke reaches them.
The source does not say what started the fire or how much of Dunwich Heath has been affected, and that leaves the main issue for residents and visitors as the same one crews are tackling now: whether the spread can be checked before it reaches further along the coast.
