People evacuated as heath fire burns 12 hours on

The blaze broke out around 5.30pm on Wednesday, and crews remain at Dunwich Heath. Specialist equipment including quad bikes has been used to tackle the fire, which has spread rapidly, prompting a major incident declaration. READ MORE: Heath fire swells in size as national specialists called in - live updatesOn Thursday morning, more than 12 hours after the major fire began, the fire service confirmed people had been evacuated. Those living in the area were told to avoid the area and allow emergency teams space to work. The fire service also told those affected by smoke to keep windows and doors closed where possible.