How has drought contributed to the wildfire?published at 11:11 BST
11:11 BST
Stav Danaos
BBC Weather
Image source, PA Media
Prolonged dry weather and recent heatwaves are leaving large areas
of vegetation across the area exceptionally dry, creating ideal conditions for
wildfires to spread once ignited.
Heathland, grass, shrubs and woodland that
would normally contain some moisture have now become highly flammable after
weeks of little or no rainfall.
Moderate winds are also playing a significant role, helping the fire to spread
rapidly across Dunwich Heath.
Fire crews are describing the incident as a
wind-driven wildfire, with the exceptionally dry landscape allowing flames to
move quickly and making efforts to contain the blaze more difficult.
The wildfire comes after Suffolk was among the areas of England officially declared to be in a drought.
While the drought did not necessarily cause the
fire to start, it created the conditions for any ignition to develop into a much
larger, more intense fire.
The combination of dry vegetation, low soil
moisture and windy conditions have significantly increased the risk of large and
fast-moving fires across the region.
However, the ignition that started the fire was most likely human caused –
accidental or deliberate – and is still under investigation.