Huge field fire breaks out beside M11

Fifteen fire crews spent more than five hours tackling a massive field fire beside the M11 near Littlebury.

Video and photographs taken by shocked witnesses on Sunday afternoon showed a wall of flames, with one saying the blaze was “moving fast”.

An aerial image, posted by @T_S_R on Twitter, revealed the scale of the blaze, which affected 400 acres.

Essex County Fire and Rescue Service responded and was aided by Essex Police, who said the area affected was off Merton Place.

Essex fire control teams were called at 4.04pm and two crews from Harlow were joined by crews from Stansted, Saffron Walden, Newport, Thaxted, Epping, along with Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service crews from Linton, Sawston, Cottenham and two from Cambridge to tackle the huge blaze. A further four crews, in addition to an off road vehicle and aerial ladder platform, were requested because the fire was close to a house, railway line and M11. In its height, Essex Fire and Rescue Service said 15 crews in total were on site.

During the incident, fire service spokesperson told the Cambridge Independent: “The changing wind directions are making the incident even more challenging.

“Firefighters are working hard, with the assistance of the farmer, to stop the fire from spreading.

“We are working with Essex Police and other agencies to bring the incident to a safe conclusion, but please avoid the area if you can.”

Essex Police said on Sunday afternoon: “Some smoke is blowing across the M11 but is not currently significantly impacting traffic. Please take precautions when driving in the area.”

The smoke could be seen for miles and trains were unable to run between Cambridge and Audley End until around 9pm. Shelford, Whittlesford Parkway and Great Chesterford stations were not served as a result.

On Sunday evening, Essex County Fire and Rescue Service confirmed the blaze had been put out by 9.30pm, although crews remained on site to check for hotspots.

Station manager Dave Bond said: “It was a fast-moving fire due to the weather conditions and crews worked really hard to protect the M11 and nearby houses.

“Unfortunately, embers set fire to the roof space of an unused two-storey building at Great Chesterford train station. The roof sustained significant damage but crews prevented further damage to the building.

“I'd like to pay tribute to our control officers who have been extraordinarily busy dealing with calls and managing resources and to our crews, many who have gone from one arduous incident to the next.”

[See more pictures of the aftermath here.]

Station manager Kevin Jenner added: “Crews worked exceptionally hard today in extreme conditions - I can’t praise them enough for their efforts.

“I'd also like to thank members of the community for their support, including offering crews additional refreshments.”

It came after Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service warned that its firefighters had tackled more than 40 fires outdoors amid the heatwave.

With temperatures forecast to hit 40C on Monday and Tuesday in the Cambridge region, the prospect of more scenes like those in Littlebury is growing.

The fire service said: “Since last weekend crews have attended over 40 outdoor fires, this includes fires involving bins and open spaces, as well as farmland and agricultural fires.

“The heatwave means land is very dry and could easily catch on fire.”

Group commander Rob Olivier, head of fire prevention for the fire service, said: “As many people enjoyed the sunshine this weekend, many of our firefighters were called on to assist with large fires involving open, agricultural land.

“These fires bring particular challenges for us as they spread quickly over vast areas, so not only do they have a significant area to cover, but the water supply is often limited, which is why we need several fire engines to attend for long periods of time.

“On Sunday (July 10) for example, crews attended three incidents involving large fires in the open, requiring more than 20 fire engines and specialist appliances, including crews from over borders, totaling more than 100 firefighters for around seven hours.

“Incidents like this often occur because a combination of high temperatures and dry areas of land are a perfect combination for a fire to spread rapidly. They will quickly escalate requiring our combined fire control to send multiple fire engines.”

The fire service stressed that it is not just agricultural fires that are more likely to occur during the hot weather.

Mr Olivier added: “We urge residents to avoid lighting bonfires and garden fires this time of year, especially when the temperatures are this high. They can quickly get out of hand and spread to nearby buildings, fences and vegetation, which can cause significant damage and put people at risk.

“We’d also ask parents to speak to their children about the dangers of starting fires, and the serious consequences they can have.

“We know people will be wanting to make the most of the warm weather, and we really want to encourage people to do this safely and help prevent incidents that could easily be avoided with a few simple tips.”

Tips to prevent outdoor fires

• Ensure cigarettes are completely out before disposing of them. Do not throw cigarettes out of car windows onto grass verges or vegetation.
• Keep BBQs well away from buildings, fencing and vegetation. Put disposable BBQs on bricks, do not place them directly on grass. Ensure any BBQs are completely cool before disposing of the ash.
• Avoid having bonfires in these dry conditions, please use local recycling centres to get rid of unwanted rubbish and waste.
• If using farming equipment, be sure to keep it well maintained and clean it regularly, especially before use, and don’t allow it to overheat.
• Download the free what3words app to help emergency services pinpoint your location quicker in hard to find areas.

For more tips, visit https://orlo.uk/0emgM.