"This seems to have caught hold before people noticed the fire. The undergrowth was very dry in the forest, despite the recent rain, and the fire caught quite quickly."
Six fire crews were summoned to the area from four services across Sussex.
The setting for the Winnie the Pooh books, author AA Milne lived in the nearby Crotchford Farm in the 1920s and was greatly inspired by the woods.
Pooh sticks: The Sussex wood holds many features recognisable to fans of the Winnie the Pooh books. Photo / Getty Images
In the much loved stories the forest known as the 'Hundred Acre Woods' the toy animals Tigger, Eeyore and Piglet joined the author's son Christopher Robin on adventures.
The area was recently used as the location for two films about AA Milne including a 2017 biopic and a 2018 'live action' film by Disney.
The Winnie the Pooh stories published over 90 years ago, by the author A.A. Milne and illustrator E.H Shephard brought world-wide fame to the woods.
Ashdown Forest is in the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty south of London, on the borders of Kent, Sussex and Surrey.
The Weald covers an area of 6500 acres, but it is this particular 100 acres affected by the fires that are best known for their connection to the books and films.
It does not appear the fire was started deliberately.
