THIS WEEK IN 1984: Forest blaze ruins 10 acres of Havant trees

Thousands of pine trees were destroyed when flames roared through Havant Thicket in the first spectacular forest fire of the year '“ reducing 10 acres of trees to ashes.

By The Newsroom

Published 24th Apr 2018, 07:00 BST

Firemen battle with the blaze at Havant Thicket

At the height of the blaze, flames ripped through the crowns of tall pine trees and swept through dead bracken faster than a man could run.

After watching the flames roar through the forest, senior forestry officials spelled out the serious danger to life from such blazes.

‘It only takes a careless cigarette and a forest blaze could result which could endanger lives of anyone in the forest,’ said Alan Catchpole, the South Downs Forestry Commission district manager.

Forestry workers battled with a severe water shortage to reach the blaze in an inaccessible section of Bell’s Copse inside the thicket.

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