'Dust devil' in Northamptonshire countryside caught on camera by Oundle and Corby fire crews
This ‘dust devil’ was caught on camera by crews attending a wildfire in crops near a Northamptonshire village.
The natural phenomenon was spotted by crews from Oundle and Corby who had been called to a blaze in the east of the county yesterday (Monday).
A spokesman for Northants Fire and Rescue Service said: “It’s been a whirlwind few weeks for our firefighters dealing with incidents caused by the hot weather – but our Oundle and Corby crews saw a different kind of whirlwind altogether yesterday.
"After having successfully contained a wildfire in some crops near Thurning, the hot air near the surface caused a dust devil, which was captured on camera by our crews.
"This wildfire started accidentally due to a spark from a stone that was caught by a combine harvester, but thankfully the mini tornado didn’t cause the fire to spread.
"Crews used hose reel jets and worked with the farmer to use the bowser and create a fire break.
"With such dry conditions out there, the smallest spark can start something much bigger.
"Please take extra care outside – don’t use disposable BBQs, fully extinguish cigarettes and please don’t hold bonfires.
"We also thank the farming community for their vigilance, and continue to ask them to check their machinery, make sure they are in good working order and not overheating.”