Fire crews' 'heartfelt thanks' after woodland blaze

Firefighters have said a "heartfelt thanks" to the public for their help and donations of drinks, snacks and supplies as they battled a large woodland fire in the Shropshire hills.

Shropshire Fire and Rescue Services was called to the rapidly-spreading blaze involving log piles and an area of forestry at Black Hill, Clunton, near Clun, around 19:45 BST on Friday.

At its height, 11 appliances attended, with resources sent from neighbouring Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service and local farmers helping to create fire breaks.

Clun Fire Station said on Sunday crews were no longer at the scene, but that periodic re-inspections were taking place to ensure no further hot spots remained.

Market Drayton Fire Station said it was called on Saturday morning to provide "relief duties" after dozens of colleagues worked through the night.

Crews had been faced with "a large and rapidly-spreading fire involving substantial piles of felled trees and standing forest," a spokesperson said, in an update shared on social media.

Thick forestry and limited water supplies at the remote location made the operation particularly challenging, but local farmers supported crews with water bowsers and the landlord and Forestry England also provided support, the service said.

"Crews worked extremely hard in challenging conditions throughout the night to prevent the fire from spreading further into the surrounding forest," the post added.

Clun Fire Station praised local residents for their support in bringing supplies and digging fire breaks.

"We want to say a heartfelt thank you to everyone who has donated food, drinks, snacks and other supplies to keep our firefighters fuelled while they work tirelessly fighting the local wildfire," a spokesperson said.

"Every bottle of water, cup of coffee, treats and snacks have helped keep the crews going through long and challenging hours.

"We're incredibly grateful for our community coming together when it matters most.

Two fire appliances from Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service provided support with fire cover in Shropshire while the incident was ongoing.

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