'Like an apocalypse hit': Locals describe the moment a wildfire broke out at a Staffordshire beauty spot

Fire crews were called to the blaze at Gentleshaw Common near Burntwood at around 8pm on Friday (April 4).

The sky was lit up in orange as the nature reserve was alight, with residents told by Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service to close their doors and windows. 

Firefighters successfully extinguished the blaze around four hours later. 

Becki Constable lives on Ogley Hay Road nearby to the nature reserve and described the "frightening" moment of seeing the land alight from her home.

The mum-of-three told the Express & Star: "We were in the house and a fire engine came past so I looked you the window and thought 'what is going on' but I couldn't see anything so I thought nothing of it.

"I started getting the kids to bed then a friend sent me a message to say 'do you know Gentleshaw Common is on fire'.

"I took another look and it must have spread instantly because you could see the flames then, so I went out to the front of the house and it was like an apocalypse had hit, it was just all on fire. 

"It was pretty amazing but a bit frightening because obviously I have got the kids and the smoke was going over."

Becki said while this was not the first time she has seen a fire at the nature reserve since moving into the family home seven years ago, it was bigger than she had seen previously.

The 37-year-old added: "We looked for a little bit then went inside and shut the doors and windows. We get fires every year but this one was a lot worse than we have ever seen.

"It was really windy and the direction of the wind we were just fortunate it wasn't coming towards us [at first], but then it started to come towards us and that was when you could see the smoke. We didn't panic but we were just wary. 

"Pretty much every year you get something but nothing of that size - that was ten times bigger than we have ever seen. I think we will definitely be more wary of it now, it's a bit scary really that it was that close." 

'We didn't know what was going on'

Daniel Mclaughlin lives off Ogley Hay Road and said he was "a bit panicked" when he spotted the nature reserve was ablaze.

The 40-year-old explained: "It was quiet big. We looked at one point then probably 20 minutes later it seemed like it was developing and building quite quick. 

"There was one fire engine there but obviously more started coming and they seemed to get it under control quite quickly then.

"I was a bit panicked because you have got the pylons over there and that type of thing, so I was thinking 'what happens if it gets to those'? 

"I was thinking about the power and 'are we going to evacuate' - we didn't know what was going on."

Barry Davis, aged 78, has lived near to Gentleshaw Common for about five decades and said "just about every year" a fire takes place there.

Fire crews remained at the scene on Saturday morning to dampen the land and carry out inspections to prevent further fires occurring, Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service said.

In a statement, the fire service added: "The cause of the fire is not yet clear, but we are working with Staffordshire Police and Staffordshire Wildlife Trust to establish the circumstances."

Large patches of grassland at the nature reserve have been damaged in the fire.

Staffordshire Wildlife Trust said "much wildlife" will have been impacted and the blaze is "likely to have killed" solitary bees, small mammals, reptiles and ground nesting birds.