Crews are working to dampen down a wildfire in the New Forest and have urged the public to avoid the area. The blaze originated from a van fire on the A31 last Sunday. National Highways has stated the road will remain closed until at least Thursday.
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service (HIWFRS) has reported incidents of members of the public accessing the active fire ground. Firefighters worked through the night to fully surround the fire, according to an earlier update from the service on Saturday. HIWFRS indicated that personnel will remain on scene for several days to manage and extinguish remaining hotspots.
"Accessing an active fire ground puts people at risk, impacts our firefighting operations, risks damage to the critical equipment we have on site, and could therefore cause further delays to this lengthy incident," the service stated. This warning comes as the fire service continues its efforts to bring the incident to a complete close.