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Huge fire rips through farmer’s field in North Yorkshire

Philip Case 12 July 2022
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© North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service© North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service

A North Yorkshire farmer has been left counting the cost after a massive fire ripped through an arable field near Ripon.

Dramatic footage has emerged on social media of a 300m wall of fire ripping through a cereal crop as temperatures reached 32C and the Met Office issued a rare amber weather warning of extreme heat for the coming weekend.

See also: Business Clinic: How can I reduce risk of harvest farm fire?

The fire sent huge clouds of thick black smoke billowing across the horizon near the A61 at Hutton Bank, near Ripon. The cause of the fire remains unknown.

Six fire engines were sent to the scene, including a water bowser from Boroughbridge, just after 4pm on Monday 11 July. This was scaled back to four appliances by 5.15pm.

Crews worked with the farmer to extinguish the fire and the incident was closed at 6.15pm.

In a post on social media, North Yorkshire Police posted on social media: “Field fires causing road issues near Ripon

“There are fires in fields alongside the A61, around Hutton Bank (north-east of Ripon).

“We’re asking motorists to avoid the area and find other routes for their journeys while our fire service colleagues work at the scene.”

Motorists were asked to find alternative routes on rural roads as the fire caused congestion in the area for more than an hour.

Locals described the conditions as “like a tinder box” and expressed sympathy for the farmer who has lost a crop worth several thousand pounds.

Thirsk crop fire

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service said it sent five appliances to a separate crop fire on Monday at Dishforth, near Thirsk.

The Met Office’s extreme weather warning for heat has been issued for much of England and Wales for Sunday 17 July.

Temperatures could reach more than 35C (95F) in the South East, and more widely around 32C (89.6F) within the warning area.

Forecasters warned high temperatures could extend into the early part of next week and an extension of the warning will be considered in the coming days.  

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