A Surrey farmer has spoken of his devastation after a significant fire erupted in his wheat field last Friday, leading to an estimated loss of £7,500 worth of crops. Steven Conisbee, who operates Barracks Farm in Fetcham, was alerted to the blaze at approximately 10pm when he heard loud bangs and received a call from his son.
Mr Conisbee, a ninth-generation farmer, initially feared his barn was on fire but discovered his prime wheat field ablaze. He described the scene to reporters, noting the sky was lit up orange. "The noise which really took me by surprise and the speed with which the flames were engulfing [the field] was quite alarming," he stated, highlighting the rapid spread of the fire, exacerbated by windy conditions.
The incident comes as fire services across the South East have escalated warnings about the extreme risk of wildfires. Dry conditions have turned many rural areas into a "total tinderbox," according to Mr Conisbee, who expressed significant concern about the potential for future fires on his land. Firefighters, alongside farm personnel, eventually brought the inferno under control.
Despite the setback, Mr Conisbee remains resolute. "Farming's hard enough as it is... To grow an actually promising crop and then to watch it disappear before your eyes - I felt absolutely gutted," he said. However, he added with optimism, "As a farmer I'm an eternal optimist. We'll plough [the field], sow this autumn and go again."
The Fetcham incident is one of several wildfires reported across the region this summer. Recent blazes include one at Ashdown Forest, a well-known beauty spot, and others across the South Downs, near Eastbourne and at Devil's Dyke in Sussex. Surrey has also seen fires at Chobham Common, Whitmoor Common, and Brentmoor Heath, with Surrey Fire and Rescue Service confirming containment of another wildfire at Brentmoor Heath near Woking just last Thursday.