Watch: Aftermath of wildfire at Staffordshire nature reserve as fire crews remain at scene
Pictures show the damage left behind at a Staffordshire nature reserve following a fire involving around three acres of land.
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Fire crews rushed to Gentleshaw Common near Burntwood at about 8pm on Friday (April 4) evening.
Residents were urged to close their doors and windows as the blaze took hold.
In a post to X, formerly Twitter, at around 8.30pm, Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service said: "We currently have crews dealing with a significantly large fire on Gentleshaw Common.
"Please avoid the area and keep doors and windows closed."
It took firefighters around four hours to successfully extinguish the blaze.
In an update on Saturday morning, the fire service said: "We have extinguished a large grass fire covering approximately three acres on Gentleshaw Common last night (April 4).
"Crews were called to the nature reserve at around 8pm. Six pumps attended from Brewood, Cannock, Chase Terrace, Codsall, Lichfield and Wombourne and our specialist vehicle, the Unimog, that has a greater ability to travel off-road.
"We were also supported by appliances from West Midlands Fire Service.
"The crews tackled the fire in segments, helping to contain the fire and extinguish it quicker.
"The fire was extinguished by around midnight, with further damping down and inspections taking place this morning to prevent any further fires occurring.
"The cause of the fire is not yet clear, but we are working with Staffordshire Police and Staffordshire Wildlife Trust to establish the circumstances."
Pictures taken at the nature reserve on Saturday morning show the aftermath of the fire.
Large patches of grassland have been damaged in the blaze and are now black in colour.
Fire crews had set up structures to hold water at the nature reserve as they continued to dampen the land.
The Express & Star has contacted Staffordshire Police for comment.
