Fire crews from ten stations tackled the Exeter fire on Puriton Hill in Puriton near Bridgwater on August 8 after multiple calls came in. Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service said the incident was closed at around 11pm, and crews left the scene.
Puriton Hill in Puriton
The service said crews from Bovey Tracey, Danes Castle, Clyst St George, Taunton, Bridgwater, Glastonbury, Nether Stowey, Street, Castle Cary and Cheddar were sent to the blaze. The incident was sectorised, with crews working on both sides of the fire using Scotty backpacks, beaters, an all-terrain vehicle, an Argocat, two Rangers with brendan pumps and a telehandler.
Residents were advised to keep their windows and doors closed while the fire was being tackled. Taunton fire crews also took dramatic photos of the scene, and a video was sent in by a Somerset resident.
Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service
The size of the response shows how quickly a grassland fire can spread across open ground and pull in teams from across Somerset. A blaze described as major and destructive was brought to a close the same night, which left no longer-term disruption in place after the crews departed.
What caused the fire on Puriton Hill was not given in the service update. For people nearby, the immediate takeaway was simple: keep windows and doors shut while crews were working, then resume normal use once the scene was cleared around 11pm.
