Firefighters tackle wildfire for seventh day
HIWFRSA fire service says "there are many days of work ahead of us" as crews continue to tackle a wildfire for a seventh day.
The blaze in the New Forest began when a van caught fire on the A31 last Sunday, with 23 drivers having to abandon their vehicles as the fire took hold.
The A31 will remain closed until at least Thursday 20 August, says National Highways.
In the update on Friday evening, assistant chief fire officer for Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service (HIWFRS) Rob Cole said: "I'm pleased to say we are getting on top of this. However there are many days of work ahead of us to ensure that this fire doesn't spread when the wind blows or when other hotspots start to occur."
The fire service revealed that the blaze has affected an area of approximately 1.6 sq km (0.6 sq miles) and 169 fire appliances have attended from 93 fire stations.
