IT TAKES a certain degree of professionalism to face down an imposing wall of flames almost three-quarters of a kilometre wide and 30 ft high – but that is exactly what firefighters found themselves up against on Upton Heath.

Witnesses told the Daily Echo the blaze jumped around 200m, several times, in just a matter of seconds.

On two occasions Dorset Fire and Rescue Service’s incident commander, Keith Bacon, thought his firefighters were getting the better of the heathland inferno.

But on both occasions, the fire changed direction at the last minute.

“The wind was whipping up really quickly,” said Mr Bacon. “It kept going in different directions. At one point the fire front was moving gradually into the boggy area of the heath, then, within no time, it changed direction and was heading towards nearby houses.”

Firefighters from Devon and Somerset, Wiltshire and Hampshire joined their Dorset colleagues. At its peak there were 30 fire engines and a dozen Land Rovers involved.

Mr Bacon said: “For the guys on the ground it was very hard work and extremely dangerous.

“If you can imagine the fire changing direction then heading towards you – it is not a nice place to be.

“However, to see the way our people dealt with the incident, professionally and skilfully, it filled me with nothing but pride.

“Also, the members of the public in the properties we were defending were exceptional. They were looking after the guys, providing them with food and water.

“They were fuelling those firefighters so they could keep working.”