Forest flames …
100 Years Ago
Sussex Express, 21 March 1924
There has been a series of fires on the Ashdown Forest, the cause of which cannot be ascertained.
On Friday, about 9.30 p.m. fire occurred at Marlpits, Nutley. destroying about an acre of gorse and heather. This was subdued by P.C. Dadswell, Forest Ranger Kirby, and about a dozen cottagers. Then about 8.30 p.m. the following evening there was another outbreak at Millbrook, followed half an hour later by one near Duddleswell. P.C. Dadswell and Forest Ranger Kirby were responsible for getting these out. About one and a half acres of gorse and heather were damaged.
On Sunday morning about ten o'clock fire broke out near the road which runs from Nutley to Duddleswell. A steady breeze soon gave it a good hold on the gorse, bracken, etc., which now is very dry. By the afternoon a line of fire at least a mile long could seen across the undulating country into Fairwarp parish. Volumes of smoke filled the air and drifted south. Bands of workers could be descried trying to keep the flames from patches of litter, but in most cases they were driven back by the heat and smoke and were compelled to view the loss of a hard day's work by the destruction of the bracken and litter they had cut and gathered. It was nearly midnight before the fire was extinguished.
About seven or eight hundred acres of forest were burnt by this fire, leaving the ground black and bare, except for the charred remains of gorse bushes. It is said that it will take at least three years before any more litter can be cut. This hits the small farmer very seriously. Many sheep and cattle are seen all times of the year feeding on the hills. Such a fire has destroyed much useful “feed” for them.
The same evening a large fire occurred between Wych Cross and Chelwood Vachery. This swept towards the south and was with difficulty prevented from entering the grounds of " The Vachery," Sir Stuart Samuel's house.
Both the Crowborough and Withyham Fire Brigades were sent for and it was 11.30 p.m. before all was clear.
These fires have caused much alarm to the cottagers on the forest. In some cases they have had to stay up until early morning beating out fires which were approaching their habitations.