FIREFIGHTERS in the north of the county are getting little rest in the soaring temperatures as a number of fires continue to break out due the hot weather.

Fires have been ravaging Oxfordshire's rolling countryside and in the north of the county Bicester's fire fighters are continuing to have no let up in incidents.

Dramatic footage captured in Upper Heyford showed flames tearing through the farmer's field as plumes of thick black smoke billowed into the air on Saturday.

Crews had to work quickly after the fire spread in high winds with flames reaching up to five metres high, according to eye witnesses.

The blaze, sparked by a fallen cable, sent plumes of thick black smoke billowing into the air, and left a large section of the field scorched.

It was quickly followed by a blaze which the Bicester team again were forced to battle for hours, alongside crews from three counties, to put out 400 tonnes of landfill on fire in Finmere near Bicester.

Another video also show the raging fire which could be seen from five miles away.

Alongside the video the Bicester Fire Service said: “The weekend hasn’t got any quieter so far with the crew out last night for nearly six hours with colleagues.”

Crews from Bicester, Buckingham, Banbury, Bletchley and Brackley were first on the scene at around 10.15pm on Saturday. They were joined at about 3.30am by crews from Witney, Deddington and Burford.

Firefighters pumped water from a nearby lake to dampen the flames.

Other field fires in recent weeks have included Monday’s blaze at Ashgrove Farm in Ardley, which was rapidly spreading across two acres of parched land, a fire which tore through a field in Langford, in a suspected arson attack, and a discarded cigarette was thought to have caused another field fire in Caversfield.

Bicester Fire Station in particular has urged people to think twice before discarding cigarettes, using portable barbecues and starting bonfires.

In one case a discarded cigarette spread rapidly and set fire to a plant pot outside Sobell’s House charity shop in Bicester.

Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service this week also urged the public to be its ‘eyes on the ground’ as field fires continue to ravage the county’s desiccated countryside during the ongoing heatwave.

It is urging the public to be on the look-out with all grass verges including railway embankments at risk and blazes able to start from next to nothing.

Residents are urged to call 999 as soon as they spot a wild fire.