Crews are expected to remain on site at the Holme Fen wildfire until at least the end of the week, according to a senior firefighter. The blaze, located in Cambridgeshire, has continued for days, with thick plumes of smoke visible from approximately 10 miles away.
The fire's proximity to a railway line has prompted monitoring from Network Rail, though a spokesperson stated on Monday that the fire was having "no operational impact at present." The unusual "commotion" in the area has been noted by Mark Whittington, landlord of the nearby Admiral Wells pub.
"It's such a sad sight, though, when you look over the railway track and see all the beautiful peat woodland there that's been there a long while," Whittington said.
Journalist John Devine reported from the scene on Monday, describing the smell of the smoke being noticeable from miles away, creating an atmosphere akin to driving through mist or fog. Firefighters have been directing jets into trees amid rising smoke across clearings in the woodland. The aftermath of the peat fire has left sections of the nature reserve in a wooded area filled with smoke.
