Firefighters braving heat to tackle woodland fire

Firefighters are working in the heat to fully extinguish a woodland fire that started on Monday evening.

Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue Service said it was called to the fire on Stapleford Moor, near Norton Disney, at 18:32 BST on Monday.

Six appliances were at the scene during the peak of the blaze, the service said, with hose reels and beaters used. Efforts have since been scaled down to three appliances.

The service said the fire covered an area approximately 100m x 100m of woodland, grassland and undergrowth.

Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service said it was called to assist with extinguishing the fire at 07:39 BST on Tuesday.

Stapleford Moor, which is on the Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire border, is a 131-hectare woodland site.

A spokesperson for Forestry England, which manages the nation's forests including Stapleford Moor, said the fire had affected about one hectare of its woodland.

They said: "Currently, the visible fire is extinguished but we continue to work with the teams at Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue Service as the fire is still burning underground.

"The site will be monitored by both Forestry England and the fire service until we can confirm that the fire is fully out.

"At that point we might be able to start to understand what level of damage to the root systems might have occurred."

The fire service said the cause of the fire had not yet been identified, but Forestry England said it was possible it could have been caused by someone using a barbecue or campfire.

"Extreme heat and dryness means the risk of wildfires is currently very high, so we want to remind everyone barbecues or campfires are not permitted in our forests," the spokesperson added.

Listen to highlights fromLincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch thelatest episode of Look North.

Download the BBC News app from the App Storefor iPhone and iPad orGoogle Play for Android devices