Emergency teams deployed six fire tenders to extinguish the blaze in Raipur village, where an unidentified man was recovered unconscious.
Mandatory evacuation orders are in place after a brush fire exploded from a single acre to more than 200 acres in roughly an hour and a half.
Nine fire engines and specialist units are tackling the overnight blaze, with residents told to keep windows closed.
A house caught fire after a nearby building went up in flames, while state investigators were called to a second major blaze in southeast Durham.
Emergency services and safety inspectors are at the scene on the Ballygowan Road after a major rescue effort on Friday morning.
Northumbria Police and firefighters have established a large cordon in Newcastle city centre after a report of a suspicious item on Kings Walk.
More than 280 guests were forced out of the landmark building in the middle of the night as 26 fire engines battled the basement blaze.
Emergency services rushed to Maltby Crags Fair on Friday evening, closing nearby roads and shutting the site early.
