hi yea the sun is shining and i feel so happy:bounce_fl raaa :bounce_g: :crazy_diz :you_crazy the party i went to at the weekend in thetford forest set a blaze at about 3.00 in the after noon check this out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
NEWS
Forest fire operation continues
ADAM GRETTON
03 July 2006 11:23
Firefighters are still battling against a forest blaze, which was the scene of an illegal rave at the weekend.
Crews from across Norfolk and Suffolk are expected to be at the Forestry Commission land between Weeting and Methwold for the rest of the day.
More than seventy firefighters from eight stations were called to the forest at about 4pm on Sunday, following reports of three hectares of woodland ablaze.
Phil Berry, fire station manager at Thetford, said the operation was made more difficult by the presence of about 200 people and 80 cars for an illegal rave.
“We had quite a severe fire in the forest and undergrowth and was spreading to a crop of standing corn. We were also faced with a lot of members of the public and it took a long time to confirm that no one was in the affected area,” he said.
Crews reduced the blaze “significantly” by sunset on Sunday, but were forced to adopt a “watching brief” during the hours of darkness.
Six appliances were back on scene yesterday morning to dampen down and tackle the fire which had spread to underground peat troughs.
Station Manager Berry said officers were working on a rolling shift pattern to avoid dehydration and was hoping to extinguish the fire by sunset.
“It has been difficult because of the heat we are having to work in. It is a very messy job and arduous because we are having to dig the peat out.”
He called for forest users to use common sense and not to start up BBQs, open fires or use smoking materials in woodland areas.
“We would urge the public to please be aware of their acts in woodlands at anytime, but particularly now when it is very dry and the chances of a fire are high. As this demonstrates, it has a huge impact on the resources needed to fight a fire and affects a beautiful forest.
At the height of the fire on Sunday evening, more than seventy firefighters were on scene from stations in Methwold, Brandon, Thetford, Downham Market, Swaffham, Newmarket, Wymondham, East Harling and Watton.
