Description: As of 5pm, 24.07.26
We received a call at 1.40pm this afternoon with reports of a fire in the open on Devizes Road, Hilperton. Two crews from Trowbridge were initially mobilised and found an out of control bonfire, spreading to adjacent fields. Due to the rapid fire spread, a number of additional appliances were mobilised. Crews from Bradford on Avon, Devizes, Chippenham x2, Malmesbury, Frome (D&S FRS) and Calne are currently in attendance along with small 4x4 pumping appliances from Castle Cary (D&S FRS) and Ludgershall and a water carrier from Royal Wootton Bassett.
Approximately 3km x 3km of field is involved, containing multiple fires. As such, there's a significant smoke plume affecting the area and the road past the Rugby Club has been closed. Additionally, power has been isolated due to the fire, which is currently affecting a number of homes and local traffic lights.
Update 7.30pm, 24.07.26
At the height of the incident, over 60 firefighters were in attendance. Good progress has been made and the main seat of fire has been extinguished, though multiple seats are still alight in surrounding fields. Overhead power cables were affected but have since been isolated and confirmed safe by Scottish and Southern Electricity, though some homes are still experiencing a power outage. This is likely to be resolved in the next couple of hours.
The incident is now being scaled back to just eight appliances and two small 4x4 pumping appliances.
Update 11pm, 24.07.26
Incident has been scaled down further to just four fire engines, a small 4x4 pumping appliance and a water carrier. Crews continue to extinguish hotspots using hose reel jets with the assistance of Wiltshire Search and Rescue's drone team.
Update 9am, 25.07.26
Crews continued damping down into the early hours of this morning. Our stop was in at 2.20am following a full inspection of the incident ground carried out to identify hotspots. All crews had left the scene by 2.45am. A reinspection was carried out this morning and there were no signs of smoke or fire.