Wareham Forest wildfire: Crews take control of blaze

A large fire that broke out over more than 180 hectares of heath and woodland has been brought under control.

The blaze in Wareham Forest was declared a major incident by the fire service shortly after midday on Monday.

The forest in Dorset is home to all six species of British reptile - the common lizard, sand lizard, slow worm, grass snake, adder and smooth snake.

Dorset Police said the fire was still "unexplained" and appealed for information and dashcam footage.

Firefighters are likely to remain at the scene for the next two days putting out "deep rooted hotspots" which could reignite the blaze.

More than 150 firefighters tackled the blaze overnight.

Det Con Richard Evans said a joint police and fire service investigation was taking place into the cause of the blaze.

"I am keen to hear from anyone who was in the area at the time and has any information as to how the fire started to contact us," he said.

"I would also urge anyone who was driving in the area of Bere Road and Sugar Hill between around 8am and 1pm on Monday 18 May 2020 to check their dashcam for anything relevant."

Nearby roads, including a section of the A35 at Bloxworth, were closed overnight and through Tuesday morning but have since reopened.

A Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said: "We are still advising people to avoid the area and to find an alternative route where possible."

Seth Why, from the service, said: "With the dry conditions there's a real danger that this fire could reignite."

He said 100 firefighters remained on site "dealing with deep-rooted hotspots, burning roots and tree stumps".

Due to strong winds, smoke drifted to Poole and Bournemouth more than 10 miles (15km) away.

Residents have been urged to keep windows and doors closed as a precaution.

Managed by Forestry England (FE), Wareham Forest covers 1,500 hectares in total, one third of which is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and is home to rare birds, plants, reptiles, and invertebrates.

Hundreds of lizards are thought to have perished in the fire and ecologists have been on the site to try and find any surviving creatures that could be rescued.

Graham Nottage, area manager of FE, said: "We manage the woodland for the habitats and wildlife and it will take years for the wildlife to recover.

"There are lots of rare species - sand lizards and smooth snakes, the nightjars would have been actively nesting - it's a shame to see it really."