By Mal Butler
The sheer scale of the charred ground shows the devastating impact the wildfire had on Headon Warren last week.
Around 80 firefighters, including several crews from the mainland, battled the blaze at its height last Thursday working through the night.
These pictures, taken this week, show the effect the ‘man-made’ fire has had on around 60 acres of woodland and heath, an area which could take several years to recover.
As well as the fire crews, a helicopter was brought in to drop sea-water on the blaze, and a hose was run from outside the Waterford Bar & Restaurant, at Totland Bay, to transfer sea-water to the warren.
On Monday, it was confirmed that the fire had finally been extinguished. Fire crews remained in the area throughout the day, and again on Tuesday, monitoring for any remaining hot-spots, and collecting equipment from the scene alongside local farmers.
A Fire Brigade spokesman said: “While the cause of the fire is currently unknown, firefighters discovered the remains of a campfire while tackling the incident.
“With warm and dry weather continuing, the risk of wildfires remains high. Please help prevent further fire by disposing of cigarettes safely, avoiding lighting barbecues, campfires, or fire pits outdoors, take your rubbish home with you, call 999 immediately if you see smoke or a fire.
“We are also asking residents and visitors to continue avoiding the area while our work is ongoing.”
Isle of Wight Observer