Update 6:15pm

The fire is now out and crews expect to remain on scene for a few more hours while they dampen the area down. The incident has been scaled down to four crews.

Three large fields were affected by the fire which spread in windy conditions across the road.

Crews believe the fire was caused after a combine harvester malfunctioned.

Firefighters rescued two 19-week-old kittens after they became stuck behind a toilet fitting in Witham on Sunday evening.

The two kittens, called River (pictured - darker cat) and Flo, had worked their way between a small gap between the back of a toilet and a wall and become trapped.

Firefighters from our Urban Search and Rescue team, based at Lexden, used specialist equipment including a snake eye camera to see the two cats in the small area before safely freeing them.

Firefighters were called to reports of a field fire in Mountnessing on Tuesday evening.

Smoke from the fire could be seen from the A12 and the nearby train line, prompting multiple emergency calls to our Control team.

On arrival, crews reported that four hectares (around 40,000 square metres) were alight.

Firefighters worked hard to get the fire under control quickly. The fire was extinguished by 5.45pm.

We are not treating this fire as suspicious.

Firefighters were called to the scene of a large haystack fire on Thursday evening.

On arrival, crews reported several hundred tonnes of hay were alight, mainly in two large stacks.

Firefighters divided the incident into sectors, to allow them to surround the fire as quickly as possible - and worked incredibly hard to do so amid strong winds.

Crews requested the support of a water bowser - which provides a large supply of water, given the remote location of the fire.

Firefighters were called to a large field fire just after 4pm.

We received a number of calls to this incident as the wind was blowing the smoke across the A414. Due to the smoke affecting drivers, we worked with Essex Police to close parts of the A414.

Crews reported that approximately 30 acres of stubble was on fire.

Firefighters worked to prevent the fire from spreading to a neighbouring field and extinguished the fire by 6pm.

Crews stayed on scene until 7pm damping the area down.

We were called to Burnt Dick Hill, Boxted at 1:15pm.

On arrival, crews confirmed there was a field fire involving approximately 50 acres of straw.

Firefighters used hose reels and beaters to extinguish the fire by 3:08pm.

Three hectares of standing crop was affected.

The cause of the fire is unknown but not being treated as suspicious.

Update 9:30pm

Two crews remain at the scene dampining down the area and monitoring hotspots. 

Update 6:30pm

Firefighters have surrounded the fire and are working to extinguish it in sections.

The fire started in a field and in windy conditions, it spread across to a second field and to outbuildings. Two crews on scene requested the assistance of two further crews and an off-road vehicle.

If you live in the area, please keep your windows and doors shut as lots of smoke is coming from the scene.

Update 7:30pm

Crews have now left the scene after monitoring hotspots and dampening down the scene throughout the day.

An investigation into the cause of the fire was carried out and found it was caused accidentally.

Update 9am

The incident has been scaled down to two fire engines and an Aerial Ladder Platform.

Crews are currently damping down the scene and monitoring hotspots.

The building and a number of vehicles inside were destroyed in the fire.

Crews were called to Greenwood Close this evening, when a garden caught alight and spread quickly to a group of conifer trees, destroying multiple gardens.

On arrival, firefighters confirmed that there was a well developed fire affecting gardens of approximately fifteen houses as well as multiple sheds, outbuildings and a group of conifer trees. Around 40 people were evacuated from their homes as a safety precaution.

Crews worked hard to extinguish the fire by 11:08pm.

Firefighters were called to a fire in a property in Loughton at 11:03pm, when a fire started on the third floor.

On arrival, crews confirmed that there was a fire in the roof space and worked quickly to extinguish it by 12:27am.

Unfortunately, the roof suffered significant damage and the occupants have sadly been left homeless.

Crew Manager at Loughton, Andrew Stone, said “We’re urging smokers to ensure their cigarettes are properly extinguished. A lit cigarette can cause fires which can spread quickly.