Wildfire near Durham University sports ground under police investigation

A massive wildfire broke out in fields near Durham University’s Graham Sports Centre on Sunday afternoon, with smoke visible across Durham City Centre.

Firefighters were called to the blaze off Mill Hill Lane in High Shincliffe at around 2:14 pm on Sunday, 12th July. Strong winds caused the fire to spread rapidly across standing crops, eventually covering more than 100,000 square metres, roughly the size of 14 football pitches.

According to County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service (CDDFRS), the fire was brought under control in just over 40 minutes. The service received more than 60 emergency calls from members of the public at around 2:45 pm as smoke billowed across the area.

Group Manager Jon Singleton confirmed that nobody was injured or evacuated, and no buildings were damaged during the incident. Despite the fire’s scale, the cause remains unknown. The incident was officially classified as a wildfire because of its size.

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Photographs from the scene near the A177 Stockton Road showed flames tearing through fields beside Mill Hill Lane while people watched from a nearby pub. Images taken the following day reveal the aftermath, with large areas of farmland left blackened by the blaze.

CDDFRS has confirmed it is now working alongside Durham Police to investigate the cause of the wildfire.

Featured image via North East Incidents on Facebook

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