Updated: Crop Fire Destroys Wheat Field on the Slopes of the Hog’s Back Near Guildford

Published on: 15 Jul, 2025
Updated on: 15 Jul, 2025

The extent of the crop fire can we seen in this picture taken from near Piccards Farm looking up the slope of the Hog’s Back. The blackened area is where the wheat, which appeared ready to harvest, had been destroyed. Firefighters were trying to prevent the fire crossing the hedgerow in the next field.

By Martin Giles

July 15 – 1800 The Surrey Fire & Rescue Service say that: “Due to the size and volume of the fire, the cause has been classified as undetermined.”

July 15 – 1035 Firefighters remained at the scene of yesterday’s crop fire all night to ensure the fire was fully extinguished.

A Surrey Fire & Rescue Service spokesperson said this morning: “We were called at 4:22pm on Monday 14 July to reports of a fire in fields near Sandy Lane, Guildford.

“At its peak yesterday, we had 10 vehicles in attendance to tackle the fire, which has affected approximately 14 hectares of land. This included three fogging units and two unimogs (our specialist outdoor fire equipment [multi-purpose, highly off-road capable all-wheel-drive vehicles]).

“We left the scene at 07:46am this morning following a reinspection.”

According to a Google search: “Using an average price of £180/tonne, the value of a hectare of wheat would be 8 tonnes @ £180/tonne = £1440.” So if 14 hectares of wheat were lost it could represent a loss of up to £20k.

The Loseley Estate has confirmed that the fields are part of its estate and that they alerted the emergency services (along with others). The field is farmed by a tenant farmer.

A spokesperson said: “The fire service attended very quickly and were brilliant.”

July 14 – A large crop fire was burning this afternoon on the southern slopes of the Hog’s Back, just to the west of Guildford above Piccard’s Farm.

Smoke could be seen and smelt from a wide area around. (The video clip below shows the fire alight at 5pm, viewed from the top of the Hog’s Back looking south-west).

About two to three hectares of ripe, very dry wheat appeared to have been completely destroyed and at 5.20pm firefighters were still trying to stop the fire, fanned by a south-westerly wind, from spreading into the next field. With widespread fires of this nature firefighters normally try to contain the spread rather than attempting to extinguish the fire.

Two tenders are on the left. They were being resupplied by a Guildford-based water bowser on the right.

Two fire engines were observed to be in attendance together with a water bowser containing 17,000 litres. Two command or support vehicles were also spotted. The fire engines were being replenished with water from the bowser before heading off, presumably to be closer to the fire.

Once resupplied, the tenders drove off to get closer to the fire and supply water to the firefighters in the field above.

Asked if any malicious intent was suspected, one fire fighter said he had no idea but statistically human involvement, intentional or accidental, triggers 85 to 90 per cent of wildfires. One local resident said that there was speculation someone had been having a barbecue near the TV masts.