Firefighters relieved as Holme Fen fire downgraded from major incident
Crews thanked for their relentless effort in tackling the blaze
The Holme Fen fire has been reclassified and is no longer considered a major incident.
Chief Fire Officer Matthew Warren and Deputy Chief Fire Officer Jon Anderson expressed their gratitude to the national resilience crews for their hard work during this challenging period.
Matthew said: “We couldn’t have dealt with this fire and made the progress we have without the support of the national resilience and neighbouring services’ crews.
"Without their support over the last fortnight, we would have been left with very few crews to respond to other incidents, resulting in delayed response times, and the fire itself may have spread further into the nature reserve.
National resilience crews have been sent home, with just a small number of firefighters remaining at the site to monitor hotspots.
Matthew further elaborated: "The resilience crews are firefighters from different fire and rescue services across the country who volunteer to travel to other fire services when needed.
"They have been days, and for some, weeks away from home and this has been hard labour too, dirty, hot and physically draining at times, but their willingness and commitment to help has been unwavering and impressive.
"They have also brought their experience to the operation, advising on tactics and helping us bring this incident to a close as quickly as possible.
"We are so grateful for their support and the personal sacrifices they have made to assist us and it is with heartfelt thanks that we send them home today."
The clearance of the site is presently being handled by contractors collaborating with remaining crews.
This involves monitoring temperatures in the peat and managing hotspots as the areas are cleared.
The number of crews present is down to two in the day and one at night.