ALL three of Worcester's fire engines were needed to fight a blaze which engulfed tinder-dry grassland at a former golf course.
Worcester's crews rushed to the blaze which tore through 4,500 square metres of parched grassland at the summit of the old Tolladine Golf Course shortly before 8pm last night.
At its height, the fire sent thick plumes of smoke billowing into the air which were visible from across the city.
Some residents of nearby roads feared the fire could spread to their homes but praised the fire service for its quick response.
West Mercia Police say the source may have been one of the fire pits visible near the scorched earth left in the fire's devastating wake.
However, Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service has yet to confirm a cause which remains under investigation.
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This morning a large area of scorched earth covered the top of the old golf course with residents praising the crews for their swift response.
A spokesperson for Worcester Fire Station said the incident was just one of five incidents they dealt with last night alone, including three fires in the open and a car fire.
"Crews worked extremely hard for several hours to stop the fire spreading further.
"We would urge everyone to be extremely careful at this time of year with everything still being very dry that can lead to small fires developing very quickly," said the spokesperson.
The inferno also caused damage to a metal structure. Some residents said crews had difficulty gaining access initially because of ongoing work at The Fairway which experienced floods when workmen accidentally damaged a water main on June 30, sending a deluge of dirty water flowing down towards Tolladine Road.
One resident, who declined to be named, said: "First we had the floods. Then we had the fire. We're just waiting for the plague of locusts and keeping our eyes peeled for the Four Horseman of the Apocalpyse."
One mum said, to begin with, she thought the fire was just a barbecue or someone burning rubbish. She said: "When they realised it was coming from up here, some youngsters came up to have a look and they came back saying 'fire! It's serious!'"
She said at first firefighters came up with backpacks of water before they used a hose reel to put it out.
"Once the hoses came in, it was over. The firefighters did a brilliant job. Given how much smoke was here, I expected there to be more damage. They were very quick. They saved this old oak. You can see how the fire came within two metres of it," she said.
The woman said she picked up her house insurance documents and put them by the backdoor, just in case.
"My son had loaded the car. We were worried it could spread down the hill to the houses," she said.
Firefighters remained at the scene through the night to check there were no hotspots which could have led to the fire taking hold again.
A spokesperson for Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service said:
"Three Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service crews from Worcester Fire Station were called at 7.55pm on August 1 to a fire in the open off Darwin Avenue, Worcester.
"Around 4,500 sq m of grassland and trees were on fire and this was brought under control using one hosereel jet, one main jet and multiple beaters.
"A reinspection took place at 2am using a thermal imaging camera and no hotspots were found with the incident marked as closed at 2.37am.
"There were no casualties and police were also in attendance."
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