A FIRE at Holt Heath was “significantly scaled down” on Thursday (August 14), after crews battled the blaze for six days straight.

The fire was first spotted at Holt Heath near Wimborne last Saturday morning, and despite best efforts from firefighters, windy conditions saw the flames spread rapidly with several flare ups.

177 acres (72 hectares) of land has now been consumed by the fire and crews were on site last night (August 14) to monitor possible flare ups.

Crews have been working in three sectors following an increase in flare ups, hotspots and “deep seated” fires identified using drones.

The fire service received support from crews all over the country, as a major incident was declared.

“We appreciate all the support we have received, not just from these colleagues but to everyone who has given assistance during this very challenging week,” a spokesperson said.