Combine harvester helps stop field fire spreading

The moments a farmer used a combine harvester to create a fire break in a burning field have been captured on video.

Dan Willis, owner of Rookery Farms, was filmed by his step-daughter Eleanor Gilbert as the blaze threatened to spread in the field near Tadley, Hampshire.

He said when fire extinguishers failed to contain the fire he used the vehicle to cut down the crops because it was spreading through his field "like the clappers".

Hampshire & Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service recognised the farmer's "quick thinking" and support, though cautioned that "safety must always come first".

The fire broke out shortly after 12:00 BST on Sunday.

After attempting to keep the fire at bay until fire crews arrived, Willis said only 1.5 acres of the 50-acre (20.2-hectare) field was damaged.

"We could have lost the whole field.

"You're creating a bit of an artificial fire break. It's not a true fire break, all it does is slow the fire down."

He described his reaction as a "little bit of improvisation" that "bought a few minutes".

"The idea was that we cut in front of it as fast as we could to remove some of the standing crop to give us the opportunity just to slow it up until the fire brigade got there," Willis explained.

He said: "You don't want to put yourself in any danger because no crop or machine is worth risk to life.

"But in the heat of the moment - pardon the pun - you don't actually see it that way, you see it as 'I need to get this under control, we need to do something'."

Willis said he was running on adrenaline as he took control of the situation, but described it as a "scary few moments".

"Agriculture teaches that you've got to be resilient," he said.

Gilbert, known on social media as Berkshire Farm Girl, called the fire service after discovering the blaze.

She thanked fire crews for their "quick response and hard work".

She told her social media followers that the field fire was "made much worse by the incredibly dry conditions this year".

"We've had just under 30mm of rain since March, so once the fire reached the standing crop, it spread incredibly quickly," she wrote.

Hampshire & Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service said firefighters from Tadley, Basingstoke and Alton, supported by Surrey Fire and Rescue Service, attended the "large field fire".

"Crews worked quickly to bring the fire under control using beaters and multiple hose reel jets," it said.

The incident was brought to a close after about one hour and 15 minutes, it reported.

Discussing Willis's method in dealing with fire, it said fire breaks were a "useful tool in managing rural fires, but should only be created if it is safe to do so and without putting anyone at risk".

It added: "The farmer's actions helped slow the spread of the fire and supported our efforts to bring the incident under control.

"Farmers often have valuable knowledge of their land and can play an important role in supporting emergency services during incidents.

"However, safety must always come first.

"Agricultural fires can spread quickly and conditions can change rapidly, so we would urge farmers and members of the public not to put themselves at risk or attempt to tackle fires beyond their control."