"Very lucky no one was hurt" - farmer reveals battle with giant inferno on Hayling Island
Over 50 firefighters battled the blaze with locals also helping
A farmer whose family’s fields suddenly went up in flames said it was “very lucky” no one was hurt as he thanked volunteers and firefighters who battled the massive inferno.
The “scary” crop fire on Manor Farm off Manor Road in Hayling Island erupted around midday on Monday leading to around 40 emergency calls before over 50 firefighters raced to the scene.
Large clouds of smoke were seen in the sky from across the area as the fields went up in seconds before taking around three hours to bring under control. Fire crews were dampening down the fire when an area reignited around 5pm. On Tuesday morning fire crews had to return to the scene with an oak tree still smouldering that now needs to be felled.
Farmer Harry Walter, whose father Simon owns Manor Farm, said two-thirds of the original field that caught fire was ruined while half of an adjacent field was also damaged. Describing the “scary” incident he told The News: “You can’t describe what it’s like. There’s no time to panic when you’re in the field and there are flames of six to 10ft.
“All you could hear was the crackle of the barley and you couldn’t see anyone with the fire and smoke. The wind can change and the fire can move very fast in seconds. Thankfully we had a good number of firefighters and volunteers. Farmers used their machinery and residents were using shovels and hosepipes.
“I’m not sure how it started. The field was being harvested and out of nowhere there was a fire in the middle of the field. We called the fire brigade and went out there to try and stop it spreading. Fires in this weather can spread very fast.”
The remarkable community response saw efforts to build barriers amid fears of a wind change with surrounding residential areas nearby. While the two fields were damaged, the efforts of all involved prevented it spreading further. “The community element was huge. Without all the extra help it could have been a lot worse,” Harry said. “We are very grateful to everyone who helped us.”
But the incident will have an impact on the farm with there “a lot of money to recover” through the insurance firm. “There’s a financial loss for us. The crops for harvesting are our livelihood which we’ve lost for this year as they will not be able to go to market,” Harry said.
“We’re very lucky no one was hurt and there was no real damage - there was only minor damage to a machine. We could have lost our combine harvester which was close to the fire and could have been destroyed. But there’s no real long term permanent damage. Burning fields used to be allowed.”
He added: “I don’t think the fire was anyone’s fault. It could have started with a spark from a machine. It was not deliberate.”
The fire was the second one hitting the family after another blaze last week at one of their other farms near Emsworth, believed to be caused by a cigarette. “We lost an acre and a half. Everything is so dry at the moment. Anything hot that is thrown out of a car is enough to set a fire off,” Harry said.
Meanwhile Sam Wilson, of nearby Stoke Fruit Farm Shop, said they could see smoke before going to help. “There was a huge response from the community, it was really nice how everyone came together to tackle such a big fire,” he said. “I think every single rural person around here all turned up.
“It was a huge fire. The barley they had there was some of the best I’ve seen for a long time. No one’s sure how the fire started but it could have been something from the combine. It just took hold and when it was going, it was as quick as you could run. It was a very quick fire.”
A fire service spokesperson said: “Firefighters have continued to monitor the fire at Hayling Island, carrying out multiple inspections of the affected area.
“During checks on Monday evening, crews discovered several separate seats of fire, including one involving a large oak tree. Firefighters extinguished the hotspots to prevent further spread.
“Crews returned to the scene again on Tuesday morning to dampen down the oak tree's roots and the surrounding vegetation, ensuring there was no remaining risk of the fire spreading any further.”
The spokesperson added the cause of the fire is “unknown”.