Almost 2 months after a devastating wildfire tore through 60 acres of protected heathland at Headon Warren, the community is continuing to thank the firefighters who battled the flames for 5 days.
Members of Freshwater Bay Women’s Institute (FBWI) have been showing their appreciation for local fire crews by supplying homemade cakes to Freshwater firefighters during their weekly practice nights.
The gesture was organised by Terry Butchers, with members drawing up a rota to provide 3 different cakes each week for a month.
The treats have certainly gone down well, with crews making sure not a crumb was left behind.
As first reported by Island Echo, firefighters from across the Isle of Wight – supported by mainland crews – battled the fast-moving blaze in extremely challenging conditions at the West Wight beauty spot. At its height, more than 80 firefighters were on scene, where the blaze tore through 60 acres of heathland.
A helicopter was also deployed to drop water onto areas that were difficult for crews to reach on foot, while local farmers assisted emergency services by using tractors to create fire breaks in an effort to stop the flames spreading further.
Freshwater firefighters were among those who worked day and night during the prolonged incident.
Mrs Butchers, whose grandson works for the fire service, said:
“We wanted to show we appreciated all their hard work, trying to save one of our local beauty spots.
“And we knew they all loved cake, so the answer was simple.”
The cakes are the latest example of local residents showing their gratitude to the firefighters and others who worked to protect the West Wight beauty spot during the Island’s most significant wildfire in recent years.
