Firefighters from across the country are helping tackle a fire in Luton? No: they are at Holme Fen Nature Reserve near Peterborough, where one of Cambridgeshire's biggest fires in modern times has burned across about half of the 660-acre site. Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service said crews will keep fighting well into next week.
Last Saturday, firefighters from as far away as Merseyside answered the call to the blaze at Holme Fen. The site covers 660 acres, or 270 hectares, and the fire has affected about half of it, leaving crews to work through day and night conditions.
Holme Fen Nature Reserve
The response has drawn crews from hundreds of miles away, with more than 80 firefighters involved at the peak. The Peterborough Volunteer Fire Brigade has been at Holme Fen since the blaze broke out, working day and night as trees were cleared across the site and flames reached deep into the undergrowth.
The fire has also left tree roots and trunks burning through, which has increased the risk of toppling trees. A crew from Bedfordshire tried to douse the flames, while smoke rising from the undergrowth created an eerie scene during dusk.
Wisbech fire station
On Monday, the team at Wisbech fire station photographed the clocking-off moment at the end of their 11-hour shift, which began at 09:00 BST. Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service thanked its on-call crews who attended the blaze and said its crews continue to balance protecting the public with work and family life.
That balance is part of the response now. With crews still on scene and the fire expected to keep burning into next week, the immediate question is how much more of Holme Fen can be brought under control before the next shift change.
