A wildfire that broke out in the New Forest on Sunday is now “fully surrounded”, says the fire service.
The blaze began when a van caught fire on the A31 last Sunday, with 23 drivers having to abandon their vehicles as the fire took hold.
The A31 will remain closed until at least Thursday 20 August, says National Highways.
In an update on Saturday, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service (HIWFRS) said: “Overnight, firefighters continued working incredibly hard at the scene, and the fire is now fully surrounded. We will still be on scene for a number of days as we damp down and extinguish hotspots.”
The fire service revealed on Friday evening that the blaze has affected an area of approximately 1.6 sq km (0.6 sq miles) and 169 fire appliances have attended from 93 fire stations.
In the update on Friday, assistant chief fire officer for HIWFRS Rob Cole said: “I’m pleased to say we are getting on top of this. However there are many days of work ahead of us to ensure that this fire doesn’t spread when the wind blows or when other hotspots start to occur.”
On Friday evening the UK’s mobile phone alert system was used to warn people not to light anything which could spark a wildfire, including barbecues and garden incinerators.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has told members of the public to take the warning “seriously” and said it was triggered at the request of firefighters.