Dartmoor National Park Authority has issued a warning about the continued high risk of fire on Dartmoor just three days after a wildfire destroyed 1,230 acres of moorland over the bank holiday weekend.
Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service spent nearly 24 hours fighting a blaze that began on Sunday and grew to cover an area of just under two square miles before extinguishing it late on Monday afternoon.
During the blaze it said that winds and poor access were making it difficult for crews to access and extinguish the fire. The public were advised to avoid the Okehampton and Merrivale military training areas as changeable weather meant the fire might behave unpredictably.
Overnight on Sunday the wind changed direction against the fire, helping prevent its spread.
Crews from seventeen Devon fire stations attended during the incident, while a National Police Air Service helicopter provided aerial support.
Dartmoor National Park Authority said that Dartmoor rangers and commoners also provided support to the fire service.
It added that dry weather had left the 236 acre national park “highly vulnerable to fire”, before issuing a warning about the continued high risk of fire as the Met Office Fire Severity Index showed the fire risk increasing from “High” to “Very High” on the moor over the coming weekend.
Dartmoor wildfire on 5 May 2025. Photo: Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service.
The bank holiday weekend wildfire came a month after Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service had warned of the risk of uncontrolled moorland fires.
It asked people to refrain from using barbecues in dry, grassy areas, to take care when disposing of cigarettes and matches and to take litter home to reduce ignition risks.
It added that uncontrolled wildfires can cause “long-lasting damage to wildlife” and have a “significant impact on the landscape” while putting members of the public and livestock at risk.
The fire service warning came at the start of what the Met Office subsequently confirmed was the UK’s sunniest April on record.
The Met Office then measured the hottest start to May on record, with a high of 29.3°C at Kew Gardens in South West London.
