Overview
- The fire started after a van fire on Sunday, August 9 and spread through roughly 1.6 square kilometres of heathland south of the A31, affecting Backley Enclosure, Soarley Beeches, Stirking Edge Wood, Bratley Wood and Sandy Ridge.
- Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service led a sustained, round‑the‑clock response for more than a week and used national resilience mutual aid to bring in extra firefighters, wildfire specialists, engines and specialist kit.
- Crews have begun to scale back operations and pack away equipment as they progressively hand the A31 back to National Highways so essential repairs to road surfacing and fencing can start.
- Firefighters will remain on site for several more days to locate and extinguish hotspots because deep peat and organic soils can smoulder underground and re‑ignite when winds change.
- Authorities are urging the public to avoid the operational zone, not light barbecues or bonfires and to fully extinguish smoking materials while the incident continues to stretch wildfire resources this season and delay full road reopening.