Last updated: August 2026
Short answer
What happened
The blaze started at a yard shortly after 6pm and quickly spread into a neighbouring field during a dry spell. Local reports described a large plume of smoke visible across the Great Chart and Chilmington area, with crews working into the evening to contain it. Kent Fire and Rescue Service said the fire involved scaffolding boards stored at the yard.
The advice given at the time
A Kent Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said crews were "advising people living near Chilmington Green to keep windows and doors closed overnight due to smoke plumes in the area coming from a fire at a yard". No injuries and no damage to homes at Chilmington Green were reported in the coverage we have seen.
Why we have recorded it
Chilmington Green sits alongside working farmland and a number of commercial yards on the Great Chart side, so field and yard fires are a realistic summer risk here rather than a freak event. Two practical takeaways for residents:
- Smoke, not flame, is usually the local impact. Closing windows and doors and bringing washing in is the standard advice, and matters most for anyone with asthma or other respiratory conditions.
- Follow the official channel first. Kent Fire and Rescue Service posts live incident information, and its advice supersedes anything circulating on neighbourhood social media.
During dry weather, avoid disposable barbecues on the open space and country park areas covered in our parks and green space guide, and report smoke or fire to 999 rather than assuming it has already been called in.
Sources
- Kent Live - Ashford residents warned to keep windows and doors closed overnight due to yard fire (11 August 2026)
- Local Rags - Huge Ashford industrial premises blaze and field fire near Chilmington Green (11 August 2026)
- Kent Fire and Rescue Service - live incidents
Frequently asked questions
Where was the Chilmington Green fire in August 2026?
The fire started at a yard on industrial premises near Chilmington Green in Great Chart, Ashford, shortly after 6pm on Tuesday 11 August 2026, and spread to an adjacent field.
What was burning?
Kent Fire and Rescue Service and local reports described a fire at a yard involving scaffolding boards, which then spread to a nearby field.
What advice was given to residents?
Kent Fire and Rescue Service advised people living near Chilmington Green to keep windows and doors closed overnight because of smoke plumes drifting across the area.
How many fire crews attended?
Six fire engines and a bulk water carrier were reported at the scene, with crews remaining in attendance into the evening.
Were any homes damaged?
No damage to homes at Chilmington Green was reported in the coverage we have seen. The concern for residents was smoke, not fire spread to housing.