Firefighters battle blaze for six hours as camp fire spreads in Wharncliffe Wood, Sheffield

The blaze at Wharncliffe Woods, in the north of the city, was one of two blazes started in Sheffield by people lighting fires in woodlands yesterday, and has led to a warning of the dangers of such fires.

A crew from Rivelin Fire Station was sent to fight the fire at Wharncliffe, and found that it had spread to roots under the ground in the current dry conditions.

They were called out to the wild fire at 5.30pm, which immediated created problems because it was difficult to access.

Crews had to take a portable pump because of the distance from the road, and also had to cross the River Don, which runs between the road and where the fire was.

It is believed whoever had lit the camp fire thought that they had put it out – but the deep seated nature of the fire meant that it spread underground through root systems, which were tinder-dry due to a lack of rain in recent weeks.

Officers said the result was fires popping up in several places.

One officer said: “We get a lot of woodland fires in the summer. People need to be warned about the dangers that fires like this can pose.”

Crews remained on the site until around 11.30pm.

It was one of two woodland fires last night.

A fire engine also had to be sent from Low Edges Fire station to tackle a smaller blaze which had started from a small bonfire at Ecclesall Woods, near Abbey Lane, at around 8.30pm.

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