Firefighters to work through the night to tackle huge gorse fire on the Isle of Wight with smoke spreading across the Solent

Firefighters will work through the night to tackling a huge gorse fire on the Isle of Wight which has spread smoke across the Solent.

Around 80 firefighters are working alongside the National Trust, Southern Water, the local council and ferry companies to extinguish the large heathland fire at Headon Warren which started just after 9am this morning (July 23).

The affected area measures around 1,000m x 800m on challenging terrain next to The Needles. There are fourteen fire engines on the scene, supported by specialist vehicles including water carriers, Land Rovers and command units with many of these transported from the mainland.

A spokesperson for Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service said: “We have firefighters from Newport, Cowes, Ventnor, Freshwater, Shanklin, East Cowes, Ryde and Sandown in attendance, and they are supported by mainland teams from Southsea, Lymington, Emsworth, Portchester, St Mary’s, Hardley, Havant and Hightown.

“The crews who were first in attendance this morning, and have worked incredibly hard throughout the day, are set to hand over to fresh teams arriving on the scene this evening.

“Firefighters will be working into the night, and we expect to continue having a presence in Headon Warren throughout tomorrow, so we ask that you continue to avoid the area and allow our teams the space to reach the site.

“Our Control Room has received a number of calls reporting smoke spreading to areas across both sides of the Solent – if you are affected, please close your doors and windows. We ask that you first check the smell of smoke in your area isn’t caused by a separate fire, and if so, please dial 999.”

Wightlink Ferries has said that it as transported nine fire engines via its Portsmouth route and one via Lymington which has delayed some other passengers.

In a statement it said: “We have at times held and therefore delayed service to ensure the emergency services can reach their destinations as fast as possible. We always prioritise and accommodate for blue light services.

“We will also be transporting Rapid Relief Team UK who provide vital welfare support, hot meals, and refreshments to emergency services during major incidents.

“While delays to our service at current are minimal, we understand this can be frustrating, so we thank you for your patience and understanding while this emergency is being dealt with.”