The RESIDENTS watched from their windows as the smoke from a large fire on Devil’s Dyke soared into the sky.
The fire broke out near the Dyke Golf Club off Devil’s Dyke Road in Poynings at around 5:20 p.m.
Firefighters from across the county rushed to the scene to keep the flames under control.
About an hour later, the West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service announced that around 200 square meters of grass were set on fire.
“My family and I were having a picnic across the road from the field,” one woman said on Devil’s Dyke.
“Then all these fire trucks came and we saw flames and smoke right behind us,” she added.
Hangleton residents in Lancing said they could see smoke rising into the sky from the blaze.
“We urge people to continue to keep their doors and windows closed due to the amount of smoke in the area,” a firefighter spokesperson said.
Crews from Horsham, Burgess Hill, Henfield, Hove and Brighton fought to control the flames.
A Burgess Hill water carrier and an incident command unit from Haywards Heath were also called in.
They were joined by all-terrain vehicles from Crawley and Horsham, as well as the service’s technical rescue unit, which used a drone.
Sussex Police refused vehicles on Devil’s Dyke Road as they approached the scene.
A spokesperson for the fire department said: “We are dealing with an open air fire on Devil’s Dyke Rd, near Poynings.
“There are about 200 square meters of burnt grass. We brought in a second water hauler from Petworth and an all-terrain vehicle from Midhurst.
“Please avoid the area to allow crews to work safely.”
At 8:30 p.m., the spokesperson added: “Our crews are progressing steadily and continue to mitigate hotspots.
“Rescue teams are brought in.”
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Source: www.theargus.co.uk
This notice was published: 2021-04-22 17:09:24
