Overview
- The fire began at RSPB Minsmere and spread into National Trust Dunwich Heath on Wednesday, burning roughly 150 hectares (about 371 acres) of lowland heath and leaving large areas charred and smouldering.
- Suffolk Fire and Rescue led a multi-agency response that at its peak involved many crews from across the country and up to about 100 firefighters, with firebreaks now in place and teams expected to monitor the site for several more days.
- Conservation groups say the loss hits one of Britain’s rarest habitats and likely damaged ground‑nesting birds, reptiles and rare insects, with restoration work estimated to take decades in places and some areas needing up to 25 years to recover.
- The National Trust contracted a private Airbus H125 helicopter to support firefighting after military and national aerial assets were reported unavailable overseas, a shortfall that has renewed calls for a dedicated rapid-response firefighting aircraft capability.
- The charity has launched an emergency public appeal to fund long-term restoration, local councils and volunteers are coordinating support for evacuees, and officials say no homes were lost during the main response.