Homes and a caravan park have been evacuated after a large wildfire broke out on heathland on the Suffolk coast, with a major incident declared.
Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service said about 90 firefighters were tackling the blaze at its peak and had been “working incredibly hard in arduous conditions”.
The fire service said the “large-scale, wind-driven” blaze broke out on Dunwich Heath on Wednesday afternoon and urged people to avoid the area and keep windows and doors shut, external.
A major incident has been declared “due to the size and complexity” of the blaze, which is spreading rapidly south-west towards St James’s Church, off Westleton Road.
The fire service said it had been working to protect properties including Coastguard Cottages, Mount Pleasant Farm and Cliff House Holiday Park, all of which were evacuated overnight.
Up to 200 caravans were being prepared for evacuation, but the exact number of people affected is not known.
Justin North said he was told to leave his holiday cottage at Dunwich Cliffs at about 23:30 BST.
He told the BBC he was asked to “leave immediately”.
About 48 people, including families with babies and dogs, have been evacuated and are now located at Westleton Village Hall.
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