Fire in the open - Wilburton - East Cambs

22/04/2026 3.02PM

At 3.02pm on Wednesday (22) crew were called to a fire on Pools Road in Wilburton.

Around 30 firefighters, including crews from Ely, Cottenham, Littleport, Cambridge, Chatteris and Soham, along with the water carrier from Ramsey, have attended the scene.

Firefighters arrived to find a well-developed fire involving around 200 tonnes of refuse at a landfill site. They are working hard to tackle the fire and prevent it spreading any further.

Residents nearby are encouraged to close windows and doors while we tackle the fire, which will be burning into the evening.

Update - 6pm

Good progress is being made but crews will be remaining at the scene for most of the evening to ensure the fire is contained and doesn't spread further.

Residents in the local area are still advised to continue keeping doors and windows closed as a precaution.

Update - 8am

Crews have remained at the scene throughout the night working to contain the fire and prevent further spread.

Update – 2pm

Crews have continued tackling the fire throughout the day. Due to there being several deep-seated areas well-alight, this is a slow process, but good progress is being made.

Firefighters will continue working with site staff, using machinery and a drone, to identify the hot spot areas and tackle them using a wetting agent.

Update - 4pm

The fire is now mostly out and crews are preparing to leave the scene with the site staff. There will be reinspections taking place regularly to ensure the area is safe and the fire is fully extinguished.