An arsonist is believed to have started a huge fire yesterday which destroyed an area of heathland the size of four football pitches.
Thirty firefighters fought worked in thick smoke to fight the blaze at two fields off Kingston Road, in Tolworth, south of Jubilee Way, at about 5pm. Firefighter Stewart Burge said they believed the fire was deliberate because it started in two different places in the dry fields. Mr Burge said when they first arrived it was very hot and some firefighters felt disorientated because they were blinded by the smoke.
About five hoses were used to extinguish the flames while Mr Burge and other firefighters used beaters to extinguish the fire in the long grass. He said they put out fire out within an hour and 20 minutes then damped down the area to make sure it could not take hold again. Four fire engines, from Epsom, Sutton and Surbition, a Leatherhead water carrier and a Woking Land Rover were called to the fire just before 5pm.
Watch manager Gareth Arnold said a huge amount of resources were tied up at the fire which started at the same time as a flat fire in Surbiton.
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