FIREFIGHTERS were called to attend a blaze at Crump Meadow Inclosure, near Cinderford, last Monday afternoon - and found a fire that consumed an estimated hectare of vegetation and trees.

One fire engine attended the fire, but this was soon augmented by three further fire and rescue vehicles, including two from Coleford, and specialist 'fogger' vehicle based in Cinderford.

The assembled crews fought the fire, which took four hours to get under control.

As the summer heatwave takes hold, the fire is a timely warning that the forest can dry out remarkably quickly, and poses an extreme fire risk, for either accidentally or deliberately started fires.