Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service declared a major incident on 30 July 2026 for a wind-driven wildfire on Dunwich Heath, near the town of Leiston. About 90 firefighters were sent to contain the blaze, which forced people to leave their homes and burned roughly three miles from the Sizewell B nuclear power station.

A "major incident" is a label emergency services use when something is too big or complicated for their normal response. Once that label is applied, it triggers help from multiple emergency services working together. The fire service received the first call shortly after 5:30pm on Wednesday, 29 July 2026, according to The Guardian. BBC News reported the call came at 17:00 BST the same day. Suffolk County Council provided further details on its website. Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service runs 35 stations across three areas (North, South, and West), and drew on all of them to staff the operation.

Station manager Dan Davis called it a large-scale, wind-driven forestry fire. As of the 30 July update, the fire was moving east. Crews focused on protecting nearby properties and prepared to evacuate about 200 caravans at the Cliff House holiday park. Several people had already been evacuated. Authorities told the public to avoid the area and keep windows and doors shut because of smoke.

Operations continued through the night. Specialist drones were sent up to track how the fire was behaving and help crews make decisions. On the ground, teams used rugged all-wheel-drive trucks and 4x4 quad bikes to reach difficult terrain. Suffolk's chief fire officer addressed the public, as covered by BBC News. Firefighters expected to take days to fully put the fire out, according to The Independent.

The fire's proximity to critical infrastructure drew immediate attention. Sizewell B is a nuclear power station that supplies electricity to the national grid. The blaze was about three miles away. Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service said there was no danger to the plant as of 30 July. An EDF spokesperson — EDF is the French energy company that runs Sizewell B — confirmed the wildfire was not affecting operations and that the company was "closely monitoring the situation." EDF also said the station has an emergency plan covering a range of scenarios, including a fire on site.

The broader context here involves the weather. Sky News reported that a drought had been declared in the UK at the time of the fire, with warnings of a "new normal." Think of heathland like a sponge left out in the sun: when it dries out, the dense shrubs and grasses become fuel that burns fast and hard, especially when wind pushes the flames along. That combination of dry vegetation and wind can also make it hard for ordinary fire engines to reach the fire, which is why the crews needed specialized all-terrain vehicles and drones.

For anyone thinking about the bigger picture, the key question is how close this fire came to Sizewell B. Three miles is a real distance, and EDF's confirmation that operations were unaffected offers reassurance. The fire was moving east, which would take it farther from the plant if it kept going. But wind-driven fires can change direction without much warning. The combination of drought, dry coastal heathland, and proximity to a nuclear plant is what makes this incident worth paying attention to. The fact that Sizewell B has an emergency plan that includes fire scenarios adds a layer of safety, but the closeness itself means this is something to keep watching.

Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service maintains a publicly accessible incidents page with details on the status, location, type, and attending stations for significant events like the Dunwich Heath fire. The service also publishes performance reports, a service plan, and an Integrated Risk Management Plan, and runs community safety initiatives including home fire safety visits, road safety partnerships, rural fire safety guidance, and a youth development programme.