These field fires near Crawley were extinguished from firefighting crews from West Sussex including a team from East Grinstead. During the hot weather, fire crews all over the country faced a very busy spell and field fires were among the most common of jobs.
The dry weather had left the fuel in these fields very dry and if ignited by a discarded cigarette or another careless act, can easily ignite and spready very rapidly. On a windy day, these flames can take hold and spread very fast often endangering nearby residential properties.
One of the first jobs that firefighting crews must consider is whether any of these nearby properties require evacuation. This can of course include commercial properties. It is unlikely to be something considered during a fire risk assessment of a property that a nearby field could potentially catch their building alight. However, it goes to show how a fire start from somewhere a significant distance away but still cause problems during certain weather conditions.
https://www.sussexlive.co.uk/news/sussex-news/live-turners-hill-fire-smoke-7452050
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