A wildfire ignited by a burning van forced motorists to abandon their vehicles and walk for miles along Hampshire's A31 dual carriageway over the weekend. The blaze, which spread from the vehicle to nearby heathland, sent smoke visible from 30 miles away, as England grapples with a record-breaking drought and another heatwave.
Police issued urgent instructions for drivers to evacuate their cars, warning they could become "bombs" in the intense heat and flames. Mothers with prams were among those evacuated after the fire service received over 160 emergency calls just before 5:30 p.m. on Sunday. The fire is still burning, and some vehicles remain in the fire's path.
The affected area is part of the New Forest National Park, an internationally protected site renowned for its rare lowland heathland, described as globally rarer than rainforest. The area is a habitat for all six native UK reptiles, as well as Dartford warblers, nightjars, and various insects. A spokesperson for the New Forest National Park Authority called the event "devastating" for the local ecosystem.
Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service reported that the fire spread from the van to the central reservation before moving into the heathland. Initially, 26 fire engines and four water carriers were deployed. By Monday, the number of engines had been reduced to ten, with crews working in challenging rural conditions. Firefighters are utilizing a high-volume pump system to transport large amounts of water over distances to maintain a continuous supply.
Despite the severity of the fire, there have been no immediate evacuations of nearby properties, though the fire service stated that affected households would be contacted directly if the situation changed. Residents in and around Ringwood have been advised that hoses may be laid across private property to access water sources.
This incident follows a pattern of several recent wildfires across the UK, including major blazes in Suffolk, the Isle of Wight, South Wales, and Scotland. The fire severity index indicated that wildfire risk was "exceptional" in much of eastern and southeastern England on Sunday. Temperatures were expected to reach highs of 36C (96.8F) by Thursday, exacerbating dry conditions.