A huge blaze tore through a nature reserve in Dorset on Wednesday night as fire brigades across the country have been placed on alert for wildfires.
Dozens of emergency crews, including 80 firefighters, were dispatched to tackle a wildfire at Upton Heath in Poole after receiving the first of multiple 999 calls at 11.44pm.
The service said the fire had affected an area of around 37 acres on the Heath as the crew worked in “dark and arduous conditions” to contain the flame.
Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue said the current cause of the fire is unknown and they would start an investigation in the daylight once the fire was fully under control.
They warned locals that they would be accessing the site via Beacon Road, asking people to “take extra care in that area.”
Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Services was one of the many brigades across the country to extend an amber wildfire alert on Wednesday.
Fire brigades and the Met Office warned of an elevated wildfire risk across England, extending into Northern Ireland and southern Scotland on Wednesday.
The Fire Severity Index, which offers a daily hazard assessment for the responder community, was at an amber level as the alert came through, meaning the conditions across the UK are severe and could lead to wildfires.
Dorset’s fire service said that the level of alert meant, should a wildfire be experienced, it could spread quickly and easily due to the dry conditions.
They said the risk was greatest on large areas of open land, such as heathlands, fields and even cliffsides.
The service already experienced a number of fires this week at Moors Valley Country Park, on the Dorset-Hampshire border, which destroyed several hectares of woodland.
The service’s area manager Ant Bholah said: “We have already had a number of devastating fires this year, including the on-going issues at Moors Valley and one at Canford Heath last month that destroyed more habitat than all the wildfire incidents we experienced in 2024.
“While the glorious weather is very welcome, especially with the school holidays looming, it does mean the ground and foliage are dry, leading to a greater risk of fire spreading if something happens to cause ignition.
“We would urge anyone going out and about in our beautiful countryside over the coming days to take extra care and be vigilant, follow our advice to #BringAPicnicNotABarbecue, and avoid having campfires on heathland or in woodlands.”
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