Fuck. Dunwich heath is burning. The smoke is beginning to cover the fields behind me. I hope they get in under control before it gets to the cottages

@AndyWoodturner Fingers crossed you and all will be ok

@AitkinshareHugs It won't get anywhere near as far as me...but there are cottages, a very large cafe, and the village that must be in real danger, now.

@AndyWoodturner @AitkinshareHugs 17 fire crews there now. Huge worry

@countrymousie @AitkinshareHugs It must be...looks fairly close to the village, and one account said the cottages were possibly in line

@AndyWoodturner @AitkinshareHugs My friends are nearby and I think the winds are taking it towards the Church and away from Minsmere hopefully. Disaster wherever it goes in those heathland habitats.

@countrymousie @AitkinshareHugs The live update says they're ploughing a break through Minsmere. Poor wildlife. And it'll no doubt be farmers doing it.

@AndyWoodturner @AitkinshareHugs The horses. Plus of course heathland burns instantly not to mention fir trees etc.

@countrymousie @AitkinshareHugs I hope they're wrong, but I just had a call and was told some of the donkeys have been burnt.

@AndyWoodturner @countrymousie @AitkinshareHugs Any news about the horses ?

@CookO2 @countrymousie @AitkinshareHugs I had a call last night to say the sanctuary was safe, but reports of three horses killed, and donkeys suffered burns...but haven't been able to confirm this.

@AndyWoodturner @countrymousie @AitkinshareHugs Oh how awful for those poor animals. I hope the sanctuary is really safe now. But it’s a disaster for wildlife. Minsmere is such an important place. Ground nesting birds.

@CookO2 @AndyWoodturner @AitkinshareHugs The heath alone is home to so many special birds etc.

@countrymousie @AndyWoodturner @AitkinshareHugs Yes. So true. The avocets were bred and released there. They’d been extinct here for nearly 100 years. So many summer visitors breeding there. Rare plants. I’ve known it since the 60s

@countrymousie @AndyWoodturner @AitkinshareHugs I remember the yellow hammers in full song and lots of different birds. The first time I’d heard a nightingale and a nightjar years ago.