Major Fire Incident on Little Sark
A major incident has been declared following a large fire outbreak on Little Sark, an island off Guernsey. Fire crews and local residents have been actively engaged in combating the blaze for over four hours.
The fire service has confirmed that the fire is confined to cliff land and, at present, no residential properties have been affected.
Fire Service Response and Challenges
Kevin Adams, chief fire officer at Sark Fire and Rescue Service, described the situation as the largest fire he has witnessed on Sark. He noted a "massive plume of white smoke" visible from the island.
"We have managed to keep it away from two houses, currently its going down the cliff towards the sea, but if anybody looks out from their houses on the East coast of Guernsey they can see it," he said.
"I've declared it a major incident and have a crew from Guernsey coming across to assist because we've been going at this non-stop for more than four hours.
"We had a few issues getting water from the underground tanks here but we've never had to fight a fire as big as this.
"It has stretched us, thanks to everybody on Sark that have come out - we've got builders, people with their water bowsers for their animals - we must be 30 to 35-strong here."
Community Involvement
The response effort has involved not only fire crews but also local residents, including builders and individuals providing water bowsers for animals. The combined efforts have been crucial in managing the extensive fire.
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