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Deep-seated forest fire 'hard work' for crews

Harriet Heywood & Jenny Kirk
BBC News, Suffolk
Jenny Kirk/BBC Mr Reeve is standing in the forest in front of a fire engine. He is smiling at the camera while wearing sunglasses. He is wearing a blue top - with the fire service logo on the breast. Behind him two firefighters are taking equipment out of the engine. Jenny Kirk/BBC
Darren Reeve, from the Suffolk Fire Service, said crews used What3Words to determine the exact location

A forest fire several hundred metres across was "hard work for crews".

Suffolk Fire Service was called to Marks Lane, near the village of Santon Downham, in Thetford Forest, at 14:41 BST on Saturday.

It said the blaze covered 300m (985ft) by 200m (650ft) and the undergrowth had been "well alight".

Group manager Darren Reeve said it had been "deep-seated", making it difficult for crews to tackle.

Mr Reeve said that was "because it's so hot at the moment".

"As you can imagine the ground is really hard so the fire gets really deep into the ground, so it's quite hard work for the crews," he added.

Five fire engines and a water carrier attended and the blaze was out by 17:20.

Jenny Kirk/BBC Two parked fire engines in a forest. The back doors are open on both and hoses have been attached. The red hose pipes are thick and have been lay along the grass .Jenny Kirk/BBC
Crews were called to Thetford Forest at 14:41 BST on Saturday

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