Fire came at worst time for wildlife, says charity

A large wildfire that destroyed about 1,230 acres (50 sq km) of land on Dartmoor happened at "the very worst time for wildlife", a charity has said.

Farmers, Dartmoor National Park rangers and firefighters all helped tackle the blaze at the Dartmoor Forest area near Cut Hill.

The fire started on Sunday and was extinguished at about 17:00 BST on Monday. Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service said the cause of the blaze was still unknown.

Steve Hussey, from Devon Wildlife Trust, said the long dry spell had "made wildfires a real risk to some of our most loved countryside".

He said: This large fire on Dartmoor comes at the very worst time for wildlife.

"Spring sees birds nesting, small mammals giving birth to their young, and reptiles emerging from their hibernation.

"Animals including skylarks, field mice and adders will be among the many that are affected by its destruction.

"Wild places can and do bounce back in time from wildfires, but the increasing instance and ferocity of the fires we're seeing as our climate changes is putting an extra burden on nature."

A spokesperson for the fire service said they urged people to avoid lighting outdoor fires and to fully extinguish cigarettes.

Although the wildlife trust does not manage the land which was affected, it also urged people not to light open fires in the countryside.

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