A wildfire broke out on grassland beside the Westbury White Horse in Bratton, Wiltshire, prompting firefighters to battle a blaze that had spread across roughly four acres before crews brought it under control. Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service confirmed the fire had been fully extinguished by 7:30pm, according to the fire service's incident page, with crews scaled back to one pumping appliance and one water carrier to check for hot spots and dampen down the area until 7:20pm.
According to Wiltshire 999s, the fire is believed to have started at around 4:30pm, with firefighters on scene describing it as a large field and grassland fire surrounding the hillside landmark.
During the incident, the public were advised to steer clear of the area, and residents nearby were told to shut doors and windows if they were affected by heavy smoke. Fire crews used hose reel jets and beaters to tackle the flames after finding the four-acre area well alight.
Is this linked to other recent fires in Wiltshire?
Fire officials believe this blaze follows a similar episode near the Hackpen Hill white horse, also in Wiltshire, which investigators suspect was started deliberately, as reported by a national broadcaster's earlier coverage. The two incidents have raised concerns among fire services about a pattern of fires near the region's chalk hill figures.
The Westbury blaze also comes amid a broader run of wildfires across the country this summer. Firefighters have separately dealt with a major heath fire that prompted a major incident declaration in Suffolk, and another large blaze that forced home evacuations near a golf course in Stourbridge.
Key Facts
- The fire broke out on grassland next to the Westbury White Horse in Bratton, Wiltshire.
- An area of around four acres was found well alight before crews brought it under control.
- The blaze is believed to have started at approximately 4:30pm.
- Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service confirmed the fire was extinguished by 7:30pm.
- The incident follows a suspected deliberate fire near the Hackpen Hill white horse, also in Wiltshire.
