Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service declared a major incident at around 1:30pm on Sunday, 9 August 2026, as 14 crews battled two separate woodland fires near Mansfield. The declaration followed a surge in emergency call-outs that left the service with reduced pump availability and delayed response times to other incidents.
The service said the move was necessary because multiple simultaneous blazes were
placing significant pressure on operational resourcesacross the county.
What happened at Strawberry Hill Heath?
Firefighters have been working since Saturday, 8 August 2026, to dampen down a large woodland fire at Strawberry Hill Heath in Rainworth, which began at about 2pm that day. By Sunday afternoon, the fire service confirmed crews were expected to remain on site for several more hours as they continued to control the blaze.
According to a regional broadcaster's report, approximately 36,000 square metres of woodland and undergrowth were affected — roughly the equivalent of seven football pitches. The site is a designated site of special scientific interest, home to a rare lowland heath habitat, adding to concerns about the long-term ecological impact of the fire.
At the height of the operation, 12 fire crews were deployed to the heath, supported by a joint police and fire drone team and a water carrier, according to a national broadcaster's coverage. Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service also sent reinforcements, and at one stage nearly half of Nottinghamshire's 30 fire engines were committed to tackling the wildfire sites. Residents living near the affected area were advised to avoid the area and to keep doors and windows closed if they were affected by smoke.
Why did the fire service declare a major incident?
A spokesperson for Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service explained that the scale of the response had stretched resources thin.
currently operating with very limited resources and reduced pump availability
As a result, response times to any further incidents are likely to be delayed,
The service urged the public to continue calling 999 in genuine emergencies but appealed for caution given the tinder-dry conditions.
not to light any fires, such as campfires or barbecues, and to take extra care when disposing of cigarettes due to the incredibly dry conditions, as a spark could spread quickly
How is Sherwood Pines affected?
While crews were still working at Strawberry Hill Heath, six fire engines and a water carrier were also sent to tackle a fire at Sherwood Pines. Alexandra Webster, general manager of the Sherwood Pines Cafe, said the blaze there was confined to the outskirts of the forest.
It is not on any of the routes so the site remains fully open for now,
By 4:30pm on Sunday, the fire service said crews had been released from Sherwood Pines, though officials confirmed re-inspections of the site would still take place to ensure the fire had not reignited.
What is the wider context?
This is not the first fire at Strawberry Hill Heath this summer; the same site experienced another open fire in July 2026 that took several days to fully bring under control. Nottinghamshire has also seen a string of other outdoor fires over the past week, including a field fire in Church Warsop on Monday, a blaze covering 50,000 square metres of grass and forest in Meden Vale on Tuesday, and a fire in Sneinton on Thursday.
These incidents come amid an exceptionally dry spell across England and Wales, with July 2026 recorded as the driest July since Met Office records began 190 years ago — England received just 7% of its average rainfall for the month, according to regional reporting.
Nottinghamshire's difficulties echo a wider pattern of major incidents declared over wildfires across the UK this summer. Earlier in July, a major moorland wildfire on Tintwistle Moor in Derbyshire affected 260 hectares, while a separate wildfire in north Wales prompted evacuations amid a record heatwave. Later in the month, a wildfire in the Cairngorms near Nethy Bridge also led to a major incident declaration and resident evacuations.
What happens next?
Fire crews were expected to remain at Strawberry Hill Heath throughout Sunday and for several more hours as they worked to fully extinguish the blaze. According to follow-up reporting from a national broadcaster, when crews returned to the site on Tuesday, the fire was still smouldering underground across roughly 10,000 square metres, underscoring the difficulty of fully containing fires in such dry ground conditions.
Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service has confirmed that re-inspections of Sherwood Pines will continue in the coming days, and the public is being asked to remain vigilant and avoid any activity that could spark further fires while the dry spell persists.
Key Facts
- A major incident was declared by Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service at around 1:30pm on Sunday, 9 August 2026.
- The Strawberry Hill Heath fire began at about 2pm on Saturday, 8 August 2026, and affected roughly 36,000 square metres of woodland.
- Twelve fire crews, a drone team and Derbyshire reinforcements were deployed at the height of the response.
- By Tuesday, the fire was still burning underground across about 10,000 square metres.
- July 2026 was the driest July in England since Met Office records began 190 years ago.
