Thatched cottage fire in Purbeck

Photographed from the Purbeck ridge with a telephoto lens.

This is probably a pair of thatched cottages.  Thatch fires are very difficult to extinguish, and a combination of dry weather and a strong wind makes the firemen's task a lot more difficult.  The narrow country roads in Purbeck make access difficult for the fire engines.

At top left, in Winfrith, about seven miles away, is the "Dragon" experimental nuclear power station; this stopped operation in 1976 and was partially decommissioned in 2005.