Cornwall Fire & Rescue Service Newsdesk

Willsworthy range, Dartmoor at 26/01/2017 15:05

Firefighters from Callington and Launceston assisted colleagues from Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service, with a large grass fire.

Updates below are from Devon and Somerset Fire Control:

One Fire engine and an off road vehicle from Tavistock and a Fire engine from Yelverton were sent to a report of a large fire in the open. On arrival crews requested assistance of another 2 Fire Engines and another off road vehicle. These were sent from Okehampton and Hatherleigh. Crews have confirmed that this is a grass fire with a 3 quarters of a mile fire front and being fanned by strong winds.

15:44 - Crews have requested further assistance and a further 4 Fire engines and these have been sent from Bere Alston, Princetown, North Tawton and Chagford as well as a Water Bowser from Plympton and Command Support Unit from Honiton.

16:25 - Crews have now requested a total of 13 Fire engines, further ones from Crownhill, Torrington, Launceston and Callington (both from Cornwall), as well as a water bowser from Liskeard in Cornwall.

17:02 - Crews fighting fire on 6 fronts across a large area of moorland. The incident has been sectorised into 4 sectors. 1 Compressed air foam branch, 2 hosereels and beaters in use.

17:43 - Assessing fire fighter action due to onset of darkness. Sector 2 fire now out. Sector 1 nearly out, Sector 3 fire still live.

18:09 - Fire in all sectors now believed to be out. Fire involved approximately 2 miles consisting of 6 separate fire fronts.

The cause of the fire was accidental.

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