Baggy Point: Wildfire started by disposable barbecue destroys habitats

A wildfire which destroyed wildlife habitats was started by a disposable barbecue.

The fire spread over about 20 acres at Baggy Point near Croyde, Devon, throughout Monday.

It destroyed the habitat of several species of reptile, small mammal and butterfly, as well as nesting sites of many types of seabird, according to the National Trust.

Fire service investigators said the fire was started by a barbecue.

Rangers said the scorched landscape will take years to recover.

National Trust lead ranger Jonathan Fairhurst said it was the "most severe fire" he had seen on National Trust land in North Devon in recent years.

He said: "It's been upsetting to see these amazing habitats go up in smoke.

"Thankfully the nesting season has finished which means the local birdlife hasn't been badly affected although nesting sites are unlikely to recover for a couple of years."

The fire took 70 firefighters to bring under control and is believed to have been started by a disposable barbecue, despite frequent warnings by fire services over the summer.

A spokesman for Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service said: "We have seen too many incidents like this over the summer.

"The safest place for a BBQ is in your garden, away from anything flammable."

Follow BBC News South West on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected].