A wildfire in the New Forest, Hampshire, is now under control, says Forestry England
More than 120 firefighters have been tackling the heathland blaze and crews worked into the night
The blaze began when a van caught fire on the A31 on Sunday as police say 23 drivers had to abandon their vehicles as the fire took hold - one woman describes the scene
There is significant damage to the road, and National Highways say they don't know when it will reopen
People are being urged to stay away from the scene, as Forestry England spokeswoman Esta Mion says the fire is "unpredictable" and the firefighting operation could last for days
The fire service says it is now planning a "larger scale attack" to contain the fire
National Highways is urging motorists to use its suggested local diversion routes and not to follow their satnavs.
Drivers will also need to allow extra time and make sure they have enough fuel to complete their journeys.
It is not yet known when the A31 - the main route used to travel through the New Forest - will reopen.
But we do know it has sustained significant damage as a result of the fire.
The A31's westbound carriageway is closed between the M27 junction 2 for Ower and the A338 for Ringwood, and it is also shut eastbound between the A338 and M27 junction 1 for Cadnam.
Traffic travelling westbound:
Traffic travelling eastbound:
A police drone is being used to help the firefighters.
The fire service says crews are using the footage to prioritise hot spots and manage flare ups.
The fire service says the fire spread across about a 1 sq km (247-acre) area of heathland with difficult terrain.
Several car parks near the fire - which are usually very busy during the school summer holidays - remain closed and people have been urged to stay away.
Bratley View, the Canadian Memorial and Bolderwood car parks are all shut, and Forestry England says they are unlikely to reopen this week.
“We continue to ask the public to avoid the area and to leave gateways and gravel access tracks clear to allow the fire services and our staff to manage the incident," it said.
Image source, HIWFRSWater is being pumped along a five-mile (8km) pipeline to fight the fire.
The pipe was set up to draw water from Hightown Lake, near Ringwood.
The fire service said some of the hoses laid as part of the system go across access to homes in the area.
"We thank residents for their support and patience," it said.
It said the pipe, which can pump about 1,300 litres of water a minute, was helping crews maintain a continuous supply as they continued to work.
Image source, HIWFRSThe fire service scaled back its overnight response to seven fire engines and support vehicles but says a "a larger scale attack" was planned for today.
It says a change in wind direction provided a challenge to the firefighters working through the night but "we are managing to contain the fire".
Crews have been working to cool the edges of the area involved in the fire to prevent any further spread and escalation.
Image source, Nenad Žilić
Image source, HWFRSThis aerial image showing the scale of the blaze has been released by the fire service.
Forestry England said yesterday that an area the size of about 140 football pitches had been affected.
Firefighters are continuing to work as amber heath alerts come into force across most of England on Tuesday.
Temperatures are set to start climbing again at the start of the summer's latest predicted heatwave.
The amber alerts will be in place until Friday evening to cover high and even extreme temperatures expected through this week.
During the peak of the heatwave, temperatures across England and Wales will widely be in the low to mid-30s Celsius.
It comes after drought officials declared 71.3% of England is now in drought.
The A31 remains closed in both directions until further notice following Sunday's fire.
The westbound carriageway is closed between the M27 Junction 2 for Ower and the A338 for Ringwood.
The eastbound carriageway is closed between the A338 and M27 Junction 1 for Cadnam.
Diversions are in place, with drivers urged to allow extra time for their journey.
Image source, Andrew Matthews/PA WireThe fire started on Sunday evening after flames spread onto heathland from a van that caught fire on the A31 east of Ringwood near Bratley Wood.
The road has been closed since, with motorists facing lengthy delays on surrounding roads.
Although under control, the operation to contain the fire is expected to last for several days.
We are resuming our coverage of the New Forest wildfire, which has now been brought under control.
Crews have worked through the night again.
Despite the progress, people are still being warned to stay away from the area.
Firefighters are continuing to tackle a blaze in the New Forest which began when a van caught fire on a nearby road.
Crews are set to work into the night, Hampshire and Isle Wight's Fire and Rescue Service said earlier.
People are being asked to avoid the area and Forestry England have said the operation could go on for days, though the fire is now under control.
The A31, where the van caught fire, remains closed and has sustained significant damage. National Highways has said they do not know when it will be able to reopen.
Ann Kemp, who was in one of the first vehicles to be stopped at the scene, described how the fire spread.
Another woman, Lindsey Legg, told the BBC she had to abandon her vehicle which she feared was "going to go up" as she saw "flames licking through the woods".
We're now pausing our live coverage, but we'll be back tomorrow with the latest updates. In the meantime, read more in our news story here.
More than 120 firefighters have been tackling a blaze in the New Forest, here's a reminder of the timeline of the blaze:
A van caught fire on the A31 near Ringwood, Hampshire, shortly after 17:20 BST on Sunday.
Twenty-six fire crews alongside water carriers and specialist off-road units were sent to the scene as the flames quickly spread to the heathland by the side of the road - watch the moment they arrived on scene.
The A31 closed and police later said 23 drivers had to abandon their cars.
Firefighting crews worked through the night to tackle the blaze.
By Monday morning the fire was still raging and crews worked to try and distinguish it.
At midday on Monday, Forestry England said the fire had spread to the size of 140 football pitches and urged people to stay away.
On Monday afternoon, National Highways said the A31 had sustained "significant damage" and there was no estimated time for when the A31 would reopen.
This evening Forestry England, which manages about half of the New Forest National Park, said the fire is under control but the operation could last for days as flames are still on site.
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service then said its crews were set to work into the night as they continue to tackle the blaze.
In an update a short while ago, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service said their firefighting crews are "set to work into the night again as they continue to tackle the fire".
The statement adds it expects "a significant presence for several days, as we work to protect this beautiful part of the New Forest".
"We are being supported by the Rapid Relief Team, who provide food and drink to help fuel our firefighters as they work in challenging conditions, to resolve this incident," it says.
Quote MessageWe kindly ask members of the public to avoid the area so that emergency vehicles can continue to access the scene safely."
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service
Image source, PA MediaA wildfire that spread on to heathland in the New Forest following a van fire on the nearby A31 is now under control, according to Forestry England.
The blaze spread quickly on Sunday as police say 23 drivers had to abandon their vehicles.
More than 120 firefighters are continuing to tackle the fire, which covers about one square kilometre, and crews are expected to work into the night.
People are being urged to stay away from the area as Forestry England spokeswoman Esta Mion says "there are still flames on site" and the incident could go on for days.
She added: "It's nowhere near as bad as it was at the height of the fire last night. But we are very much asking people to stay away... it's unpredictable."
We'll continue to bring you the latest updates throughout the evening, stay with us.
Rozina Sini
BBC News
Image source, Eleanor KempAnna Kemp, who was driving home to Devon from a family weekend in Sussex, says she was in one of the first 50 vehicles to be stopped due to the van fire on the A31.
She says she and her family were stopped before the road was fully closed.
Her daughter Eleanor, 14, took pictures as the fire spread from the vehicle to the heathland.
They show how close drivers were to the blaze as it began to spread, as large plumes of smoke rose up from the heathland.
She tells the BBC that the emergency services instructed people to leave their vehicles and move to a place of safety.
Image source, Eleanor Kemp
The firefighting is still centred on Bratley Wood, an area of "old forest" with mature trees, according to Forestry England.
The location, in the western side of the New Forest, is between Ringwood and Lyndhurst.
The national park is bisected by the A31 dual carriageway, which remains closed.
The fire is under control but the operation to contain it could last for several days, according to Forestry England, which manages about half of the New Forest National Park.
Spokeswoman Esta Mion says: "What I have been told by the staff on site is that it is controlled, in that they have managed to contain it.
"There are still flames on site - I've seen pictures myself this afternoon - but it is under control.
"It's nowhere near as bad as it was at the height of the fire last night. But we are very much asking people to stay away... it's unpredictable.
"We just don't know how long this incident could go on for. We're certainly thinking it could be the next few days for sure," Mion adds.
Image source, David MartinThe Sir Walter Tyrrell pub says trade is down because of the fire
The fire is beginning to have an effect on the hospitality trade, according to New Forest businesses.
"Lyndhurst itself is very quiet today," says cafe owner Jo Cowley.
"It's a big tourist road, the A31. I think it probably will affect us for most of the week.
"There's a lot of HGVs, a lot of vans passing through. We're getting customers in, but it's nowhere near the customers you would expect.
"We've had deliveries that are two or three hours late. It's gridlock out there."
At the Sir Walter Tyrrell pub, near the Rufus Stone landmark in the forest, only three tables are taken, according to assistant manager Vieira Liddy.
She says they are considering whether to tell staff not to come to work.
