Longmoor: Crews damp down after MoD firing range blaze

Crews were called to the scene shortly after 16:00 BST on Friday

Fire crews are damping down remaining hot spots after flames engulfed 16 hectares of forest and woodland at a military firing range.

The huge fire started on Ministry of Defence (MoD)-owned land near Longmoor Camp in Hampshire on Friday afternoon.

The fire service said on Sunday that it still had eight appliances at the scene, but that this was down from a peak of 20 on the previous day.

The MoD confirmed the blaze had been in the firing range's "danger area".

Plumes of smoke from the fire could be seen from miles around

The cause of the fire is not yet known. No injuries have been reported.

Fire crews warned on Saturday that they had been "working relentlessly" and were struggling to control the flames due to dry conditions and changing wind directions.

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service advised nearby residents to keep their windows and doors shut. Plumes of smoke could be seen from miles around.

A fire service spokesman said he expected crews to remain at the scene throughout the day on Sunday to ensure the area was safe.

Follow BBC South on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Send your story ideas to [e-mail].