FIREFIGHTERS battled through the night on Tuesday, August 26, to tackle a large fire which engulfed gorse and trees.

Devon and Somerset Fire Service said it was called to Mill Street Common in Torrington at about 10.35pm on Tuesday after receiving reports of initial flames from a tree fire having spread to gorse.

The service said 20 people self-evacuated from nearby properties as crews from 16 different stations battled the fire, which covered a 200m (656ft) by 80m (262ft) area of land.

A fire spokesperson said the flames were extinguished by 4.10am on Wednesday, August 27 with crews revisiting the site later in the morning to dampen down hotspots.

In the early hours of the Wednesday morning, the North Tawton crew were mobilised as a relief crew to the fire.

A spokesperson for North Tawton crew said: “Initially our role was to provide command support before being deployed to dampen down hotspots and prevent the risk of the fire reigniting or spreading further.

“We utilised 3 x 45mm lay flat hoses, along with thermal imaging cameras and torches, to carefully check and cool affected areas. We remained in attendance until being relieved ourselves at 6.30am.

“A big thank you to the crews who worked tirelessly overnight and to those who provided relief to ensure the incident was fully resolved.

“Please remember to take extra care when out in the countryside—especially during dry spells—as even a small spark can quickly spread.

“Think you’ve got what it takes to tackle incidents like this one? Good News! We’re recruiting.

“North Tawton Fire Station is looking for Paid On-Call Firefighters. If you live or work locally (within five minutes) and want to make a difference in your community get in touch via the Fire Service website or pop in at Drill night - every Monday, 7pm to 9pm.”