Stephen Stafford reported that a van fire on the A31 near Ringwood spread into heathland in the New Forest on Sunday evening, triggering a large firefighting response. The A31 remained closed in both directions on Monday as crews kept working at the scene.
Firefighters deployed 26 fire engines, four water carriers, six off-road vehicles and several command vehicles after the flames moved quickly into neighbouring heathland. The service said it had received more than 160 emergency calls about the original fire.
Ringwood and Brackley Bottom
The blaze is burning in the heart of the New Forest National Park and is spreading from the A31 towards Brackley Bottom, near Bolderwood. Flames also moved in a south-easterly direction towards Backley Bottom, while plumes of smoke drifted across the New Forest and could be smelt on the Isle of Wight.
Monday morning response
By Monday morning, the response had been scaled down to 10 fire engines and 10 off-road vehicles. Firefighters said they would remain on site for the foreseeable future, keeping crews tied to the fire even after the initial deployment was reduced.
Some motorists were forced to abandon their cars on the dual carriageway as the fire spread beside the road. The incident has left a major route closed in both directions and pushed emergency crews into prolonged work in an area of heathland that supports wildlife and other sensitive habitats.
Stephen Stafford report
Stephen Stafford wrote the report, with Toby Wadey as editor, after the van fire developed into a wider New Forest fire on Sunday evening. With the road still shut and crews still on scene, drivers using the A31 have no clear reopening point to plan around yet.
