Forest That Inspired Winnie the Pooh's 'Hundred Acre Wood' Goes Up in Flames

Authorities in the U.K. are investigating after a fire was seen burning in the forest which inspired the fictional home of children's teddy bear character Winnie the Pooh.

Firefighters rushed to the scene—in Ashdown Forest—shortly after 9:30 p.m. last night, according to the East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service. Officials used all-terrain vehicles to access the site and combat the flames, at one point relying on a drone to help survey the damage.

In a statement this morning, the department said crews were dealing with flames covering 14 acres (6 hectares). Six fire engines, four Land Rovers, a water carrier and a control unit were in attendance, the release confirmed. The operation scaled back as flames subsided.

At approximately 10 a.m. this morning, the majority of firefighters left the scene but officials noted they would be expected to re-attend during the day for "re-inspection."

The forest, which is known as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, was used by A. A. Milne as the lush setting for his Pooh children's books. The author took his son Christopher Robin to the area, while illustrations by E.H. Shepard were also based on the East Sussex landscape.

Andrew Gausden, an incident commander at the local fire and rescue department said: "We received numerous calls...from members of the public and the police regarding [the] fire.

"The fire took hold quickly and was significant with approximately 15 hectares alight in a valley area," he added. "It is always challenging with forest fires in gaining access."

Gausden continued: "We do not know the cause of the fire yet. We are working closely with Sussex Police and the Ashdown Forest Rangers to investigate the cause. We are not looking at it being a deliberate fire at this time. Investigations will take place over the next few days."

Ashdown Forest, which was reportedly a deer hunting forest in Norman times, has international protection because of its mass of wildlife. According to its website, nearly two thirds of its 6,500 acres (2,500 hectares) are heathland. A forest ranger, Chris Sutton, told the BBC that some bird eggs and nests were likely destroyed in the overnight blaze—but said the habitat would recover.

In late February this year, multiple fires were started in the area by mistake, according to a March 1 statement by conservators of the forest. One smaller fire was blamed on sparks from a bonfire. The second spread during a planned burning by "a freak gust of wind combined with unseasonably dry conditions."

"The good news is that neither fire will cause any long-term damage to the habitat or landscape and only a small proportion of the forest, a little over 1 percent of its 2,500 hectares, has been affected," park officials said at the time. "Visitors can continue to enjoy Ashdown Forest unaffected by these events, but we need to continue to be vigilant to the risk of fire."