Combine harvester triggers huge Lincolnshire field fire

The thick smoke caused difficult driving conditions for people on the A46

Dozens of acres of barley and straw have been badly damaged after a combine harvester triggered a huge blaze in a field in Lincolnshire.

Residents in Skellingthorpe were told to close doors and windows as plumes of smoke drifted over the village.

Six fire engines dealt with the blaze on Ferry Lane, which damaged 25 acres of crop and 35 acres of straw trails.

Chief fire officer Mark Baxter said it was caused by a combine harvester operating in the field.

Firefighters were called to the blaze on Wednesday night with crews remaining there overnight.

The fire service said the warm weather meant grassland fires could easily happen

At its height, motorists reported difficult driving conditions on the A46 because of thick, drifting smoke.

Mr Baxter from Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue said crews had now left but had managed to contain the fire before it spread much further.

He urged people in the county to be mindful of grassland fire risks as temperatures look set to rise in the coming days.

"The plea is for the good people of Lincolnshire, please enjoy the outdoors but please enjoy it responsibly.

"Be really aware of the country code and try not to use outdoor BBQs, don't discard cigarettes on the ground. These are all things which create that fire situation that absolutely spreads so rapidly."

He said because the weather had been warm for a long period of time, "everything is just about ready and a single spark will set the fire off".

He added: "Even if we had a couple days of rain, that wouldn't make much difference because it will take so long to saturate the ground to make sure it wasn't a fire risk."