A wildfire at Dunwich Heath in Suffolk has reportedly burnt 100-200 hectares (1-2 square kilometres), according to Dr Thomas Smith, Associate Professor in Environmental Geography at LSE. Satellite imagery from NASA first detected hotspots yesterday evening, Wednesday, and again through the early hours of this morning, Thursday. Visible imagery from around 10:30 am today shows a smoke plume moving out to sea with a westerly wind.
The fire is currently located approximately 3-4 km north of the Sizewell B nuclear power plant. Dr Smith noted that the fire is currently travelling east, as indicated by the smoke plume. Forecasts suggest a change to a northerly wind later today, which could potentially spread the fire further south if it remains active into the evening. However, Dr Smith does not expect the fire to threaten the power plant due to its distance and a large expanse of non-vegetated areas providing a buffer zone.
Sizewell B has reportedly declared a high alert as a sensible precaution to protect workers and prepare for a potential reactor shutdown, according to Prof Joel Turner from the University of Manchester. Prof Mike Bluck of Imperial College London stated that the reactor site is on high alert but appears otherwise unaffected. Nuclear plants are designed with multiple safety redundancies and emergency plans for such events, including systems to maintain cooling even if grid connection is disrupted.
Dr Zakary Campbell-Lochrie, Lecturer in Fire Science at the University of Edinburgh, described the situation as a challenging wildfire, reflected in the Fire & Rescue Service's declaration of a major incident. This wildfire is occurring amidst official drought conditions in large parts of England, including Suffolk, following recent heatwave events. The current weather conditions, such as wind direction and speed, are having a significant impact on the fire's progression and the effectiveness of firefighting efforts.