Fire service warning after huge blaze in woodland

The blaze on Wednesday was estimated to cover 100m by 100m (109 yards by 109 yards) of woodland

People are being urged to take greater care to avoid causing fires during hot and dry conditions after firefighters tackled a large blaze in Staffordshire.

Eight engines and two water carriers battled the fire in Cannock Chase on Wednesday which crews estimated to measure about 100m by 100m (109 yards by 109 yards).

Crews used beaters and hoses to tackle the fire and nobody was reported injured, they said. An investigation into the cause of the fire will take place in due course.

The hot and dry conditions meant that the risks of outdoor fires were significantly higher, the fire service added.

A service spokesperson said crews were called to land off Penkridge Bank just before 16:00 BST on Wednesday.

Station manager Jordan Money, who attended the scene, said there had been an increase in the number of outdoor fires, particularly in warmer weather.

"Since April this year we have been called to over 1,400 outdoor fires which were either deliberate or avoidable," he said.

"We're urging people to not have open fires [while] the weather is so warm because they can easily get out of control."

He advised people to use the What 3 Words app when reporting fires, to help pinpoint a location and help crews reach the incident quickly.