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Specialist wildfire equipment was used to put out two fires in Somerset yesterday evening (April 17).

Firefighters spent several hours trying to put out a gorse fire on Exmoor National Park after which is believed to have been started deliberately.

The fire was started between 6pm and 7pm on Dunkery Hill. Crews were sent to the scene following a call from a member of the public.

Around four hectares of gorse was affected by the blaze and high winds meant it was starting to spread further.

Specialist wildfire equipment had to be used by the fire service in order to put out the fire.

A spokesman for Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service said: “Two fire appliances from Porlock and Taunton were mobilised, following a call from a member of the public reporting an area of gorse on fire at Dunkery Hill on Exmoor.

“As the crews got closer to the incident the attendance was immediately increased by a further pump together with specialist wildfire equipment (Ground hog and Brendan pumps).

“After making steady progress fighting a 100m fire front, with a total area of 4 hectares, this protracted incident was brought under control at 9.45pm.

“However, a reduced attendance remained there damping down an area of hotspots which later reignited. This fire was confirmed to have been started deliberately. Crews used specialist wildfire equipment and beaters to extinguish.”

Earlier in the afternoon fire crews were called to an area just outside Exmoor National Park to reports of an area of elephant grass on fire.

Numerous members of the public called the fire service at around 6pm to the fire on Capton Lane in Stogumber.

Around eight hectares of elephant grass was on fire but the cause was understood to have been accidental.

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A spokesman for the fire service said: “Crews were able to bring the fire under control and eventually extinguish it by 7.25pm but appliances remained in attendance ensuring all areas were out.

“Crews used hose reel jets, main jets, compressed air foam and beaters to extinguish the fire, which was later confirmed to have started accidentally.”