A huge forest fire broke out in a Northumberland wood.
Firefighters were notified of a forest fire at 12:07 p.m. Friday in Kyloe Woods, just off the C18 road in northern Northumberland.
The teams are currently still on the scene with six fire trucks, two 4×4 units and 38 firefighters present from the Northumberland and Scottish fire and rescue services. A mobile drone is also used to follow the fire from the sky.
The fire has currently spread over an area of approximately 40,000 m².
The Mountain Rescue Service and Northumbria Police are also participating in the operation and police have said they expect the wildfire to last through the weekend.
In a tweet, the force said “the operation is expected to continue for several days.”
A force spokesperson said: “Northumbria Police are supporting firefighters in Kyloe Woods, Northumberland.
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“We would advise people to avoid the woods for the rest of the weekend.”
It is not known how the blaze started, but Northumberland County Council said an investigation will be conducted to determine the cause.
Last week, the council issued a warning that discarded cigarettes and abandoned campfires or barbecues can start dangerous forest fires.
Firefighters expect they will be at the scene for a few hours and have urged members of the public to stay away from the area.
Stephen Kennedy, head of the emergency response group at the Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service, said: “This fire only serves to demonstrate how quickly fires can develop in dry conditions in areas wooded or heathland.
“They can cause considerable damage to our wildlife and our natural environment, which can take many years to recover from a forest fire.
“We continually urge everyone to be vigilant in the face of forest fires, to respect the country code and not to light fires and barbecues.
“We ask members of the public to stay away from the Kyloe Woods area at this time.”