Willis said he was running on adrenaline as he took control of the situation, but described it as a “scary few moments”.
“Agriculture teaches that you’ve got to be resilient,” he said.
Gilbert, known on social media as Berkshire Farm Girl, called the fire service after discovering the blaze.
She thanked fire crews for their “quick response and hard work”.
She told her social media followers that the field fire was “made much worse by the incredibly dry conditions this year”.
“We’ve had just under 30mm of rain since March, so once the fire reached the standing crop, it spread incredibly quickly,” she wrote.
Hampshire & Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service said firefighters from Tadley, Basingstoke and Alton, supported by Surrey Fire and Rescue Service, attended the “large field fire”.
“Crews worked quickly to bring the fire under control using beaters and multiple hose reel jets,” it said.
The incident was brought to a close after about one hour and 15 minutes, it reported.
Discussing Willis’s method in dealing with fire, it said fire breaks were a “useful tool in managing rural fires, but should only be created if it is safe to do so and without putting anyone at risk”.
It added: “The farmer’s actions helped slow the spread of the fire and supported our efforts to bring the incident under control.
“Farmers often have valuable knowledge of their land and can play an important role in supporting emergency services during incidents.
“However, safety must always come first.
“Agricultural fires can spread quickly and conditions can change rapidly, so we would urge farmers and members of the public not to put themselves at risk or attempt to tackle fires beyond their control.”
