Heathlands damaged by wildfires this week could take up to five years to recover, according a local wildlife expert.
Major blazes erupted during dry weather in Scotland and Dorset this week, with around 80 firefighters called to the scene of a fire estimated to cover 50 hectares on Upton Heath on Wednesday night.
Although heathlands are manmade landscapes, Dorset Wildlife Trust chief executive Brian Bleese said such landscapes take thousands of years to develop and there are no easy re-population routes for wildlife.
“To see it in good condition again is going to be four or five years,” the 59-year-old told the PA news agency.
“We’ve got global crises we’re trying to deal with internationally including a global ecological crisis… Dorset is not immune to this global ecological crisis.
“With heathlands now being so fragmented it means fires on a particular site, especially large fires, can have a significant blow that has an impact for many years to come.”
Mr Bleese said Upton Heath is home to all six British reptiles – including sand lizards, blue snakes, adders, grass snakes, slow worms and common lizards.
“This is devastating for animal populations,” he said in a TikTok video from the burned heath.
The Dorset Wildlife Trust has been working across Upton Heath to recover dead reptiles and re-locate ones found alive to safer areas of the heathlands.
Mr Bleese said Fires across heathlands in England do not occur naturally and would have been started by negligence or arson.
Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue shared advice to walkers not to lave barbecues unattended or leave glass bottles in direct sunlight and to ensure cigarettes are fully extinguished and correctly disposed of.
“Going forward we want everybody’s help to make sure we are vigilant on heathlands through the rest of this year,” Mr Bleese said.
“Let’s try and avoid any further major fires and we need everybody’s help to do that.”
Mr Bleese said Dorset has seen extensive habitat loss in recent years and there have been 100 wildfires reported in the area this year.
