Firefighters were called back to a nature reserve this weekend as fire broke out for the second time in a fortnight.Crews were called to Holme Fen Nature Reserve in Holme at 10.24am on Saturday (8 August), where hedges and undergrowth were well alight.Fire at Holme Fen National Nature Reserve. Picture: Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue ServiceCambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service said the blaze was “deep-seated in peat so will take some time to fully extinguish”.Crews from Dogsthorpe, Stanground, the north roaming fire engine, Whittlesey, Huntingdon, Thorney, St Neots, Ramsey and Sawston, along with the water carrier from Ramsey, a specialist 4×4 vehicle from Thorney, and a crew from Oundle in Northamptonshire attended the incident.The service said on Saturday: “They have been working extremely hard in sectors to get the fire under control and stop it from spreading. They have been using equipment such as beaters to control and extinguish the fire.“The fire is now surrounded, good progress has been made, and crews are continuing to work to extinguish it. Please continue to stay away from the area whilst the incident is ongoing and thank you for your patience whilst crews work to bring this incident to a conclusion.” By 8.20pm, the incident had been scaled back and firefighters were checking for hotspots and dampening down the area to prevent it spreading further.A crew remained at the Wildlife Trust-managed national nature reserve overnight to ensure the area was safe and were on the scene again today (Sunday, 9 August) checking for hotspots. “If you are seeing or smelling smoke in and around the area please be advised that this is more than likely coming from Holme Fen but rest assured our firefighters are there and are working hard to extinguish the fire,” the fire service said on Sunday.Fire at Holme Fen National Nature Reserve. Picture: Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service“They are checking for hotspots, turning them over and dampening down the area to make it safe. If you see fire crews in the area over the coming days, this will be why.“We are asking the public to continue avoiding the area where they can. Crews are working incredibly hard to bring the fire under control and minimise disruption to bring this incident to a conclusion.“The cause of the fire is yet to be determined.”The aftermath of the original fire at Holme Fen, on 27 July. Picture: Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue ServiceIt follows an earlier fire that began on 27 July, attended by more than 40 firefighters, which is thought to have been started deliberately.Crews remained on site throughout the week following the original fire and police appealed for anyone with information on it to get in touch.
Firefighters back at Holme Fen National Nature Reserve as ‘deep-seated’ peat fire breaks out again
