Fire crews contain grassland blaze at Alver Valley Country Park
A significant fire tore through grassland and woodland at Alver Valley Country Park, covering an area roughly 500 metres by 300 metres. More than 20 emergency calls brought crews from Gosport, Fareham, Waterlooville and Havant to the scene, with the incident command team also mobilised to coordinate the response.
Firefighters used Land Rovers, jets, beaters and knapsack pumps to surround the blaze and stop it spreading. Their efforts successfully prevented the flames from reaching Little Woodham, the nearby living history village of thatched properties that recreates 17th-century rural life. One person was treated by paramedics for smoke inhalation.
Alver Valley is Gosport’s largest green space, spanning around 200 hectares of mixed habitats between Gosport and Lee-on-the-Solent. The park includes meadows, wetlands, woodland and the River Alver, supporting wildlife such as water voles, skylarks and slow worms. It serves as an important local greenspace for walkers, families and dog owners, and acts as a Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspace to ease pressure on sensitive coastal sites.
The fire left visible damage across the scorched ground. Crews found two slow worms among the charred grass and later spotted a deer moving through what remained of its habitat. Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service noted that such incidents cause lasting harm to the countryside and the animals that rely on it.Hot, dry weather increases the risk of wildfires in areas like this. The fire service has reminded the public to leave barbecues at home, extinguish cigarettes properly and avoid starting campfires. Simple care helps protect places that residents and visitors use every day.
Alver Valley continues to offer open trails, a play area, café and opportunities to spot wildlife once the ground recovers. Little Woodham, set in the surrounding woodland, remains a distinctive local attraction where volunteers bring period crafts and daily life to the present. Both sites form part of the wider landscape that gives the Gosport peninsula its mix of history and natural space.
The incident underlines how quickly conditions can change in open countryside and how coordinated action by local crews can limit the impact on both people and the places they value.