A Mousehold Heath fire sent plumes of smoke over Norwich on Thursday, 13 August 2026, prompting Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service to declare a major incident as crews battled blazes across the county.
The fire broke out in woodland at Mousehold Heath, a heathland area popular with dog walkers and runners that overlooks the city of Norwich, as reported by ITV News Anglia.
The service said it was receiving multiple calls from members of the public.
A crew from Sprowston was sent to the scene, with further crews en route as the blaze took hold. The fire service urged the public to avoid the Gurney Road area for their own safety while firefighters worked.
Why the Mousehold Heath fire led to a major incident
Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service declared a major incident at 15:15 local time (16:15 SAST), a step taken when demand on resources outstrips normal capacity.
The declaration came because the service was dealing simultaneously with fires in Watton, Kelling and Wymondham, and at 14 other locations.
A Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson set out the scale of the pressure on the county’s crews, confirming the time of the declaration and asking residents to be selective about when they call the emergency line:
“Due to the number of ongoing fire incidents involving multiple appliances across the county, we have declared a major incident at 3.15pm. Current operational activity across Norfolk is placing significant pressure on our resources. We are still available to attend emergencies but will prioritise life risk and property. We ask that the public only call 999 for genuine emergencies.”
That request carries weight in practice: it is designed to keep the emergency line clear for reports of danger to people and buildings while crews are spread thinly.
Non-urgent calls about smoke or scorched ground can wait until the pressure eases.
The heathland at the centre of the Mousehold Heath fire
Mousehold Heath sits on high ground to the north east of Norwich and has long served as public open space for the city, drawing walkers, runners and cyclists. Its elevation is why the smoke was visible from streets across the centre on Thursday afternoon.
The same ground had been busy on Wednesday, 12 August 2026, when hundreds of people gathered on the heath to watch the solar eclipse over Norwich.
Within 24 hours the viewing point had become the site of a woodland fire.
What happens next after the Mousehold Heath fire
A major incident declaration stays in force until the service judges that demand has fallen back within normal limits, at which point resources are released and the advice to stay away from Gurney Road can be withdrawn.
Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service has said it will continue to prioritise calls involving risk to life and property.
