Around 200 caravans of people could have to flee as firefighters deploy drones to tackle the blaze
Hundreds of Britons are preparing to evacuate as a huge wildfire tearing through Suffolk is heading towards a holiday park.
Shortly after 5.30pm on Wednesday, Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) was called to the first reports of a wildfire at Dunwich Heath.
Dozens of firefighters raced to the scene, deploying specialist equipment, such as drones and 4x4 quad bikes, in a bid to tackle the blaze.
Crews from Leiston, Reydon, Halesworth, Beccles, Ipswich East, Ipswich Princes Street, Lowestoft South, Lowestoft North, Stradbroke, Wrentham, Bungay, Saxmundham, Haverhill, Orford, Stowmarket, Felixstowe and Woodbridge all attended the scene.
Suffolk County Council has urged residents to avoid the area and keep roads clear for emergency vehicles.
A major incident was declared overnight “due to the size and complexity” of the blaze, SFRS said.
In an update, SFRS station manager Dan Davis said: “Crews from Leiston attended the scene and were met with what is a large-scale, wind-driven forestry fire.
“The incident has subsequently been upgraded to a major incident.
“We currently have approximately 90 firefighters on scene working incredibly hard in arduous conditions to bring this fire under control.”
Mr Davis said crews will not leave the area until the fire is brought under control.
Firefighters have been focusing on preventing the blaze from reaching Coastguard Cottages, Mount Pleasant Farm and Cliff House Holiday Park.
Preparations have been made to evacuate roughly 200 caravans currently at the holiday park, Suffolk County Council said.
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The fire came just minutes after SFRS urged members of the public to take additional precautions during the prolonged dry spell on Facebook.
In an update, the service warned that "even a small fire can spread quickly and have significant consequences".
The wildfire also comes after the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) issued an amber heat-health alert for the East Midlands, London, the South East and East of England.
The alert remains in place until 9am on Thursday, with the agency previously warning that soaring temperatures may increase health risks - particularly for vulnerable groups such as the elderly.
Britain has yet to see wildfires on the scale as a number of countries on the European continent - including France and Spain.
Around 360,000 people have been forced to flee their homes and more than 386 square miles of land have been burned by blazes in both countries.
On Monday, President Emmanuel Macron told emergency workers in Bordeaux that the country has been plunged into "a situation that is more difficult than at any time since the Second World War".
He added: “We must be realistic: the coming weeks will be tough, and we must persevere. The key is urgency, resilience.”
However, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said there was now "light at the end of the tunnel" in his country's battle against wildfires.
In a press conference on Tuesday, the socialist leader took aim at those who refute "the climate emergency", accusing them of making Spain "more vulnerable".
