Wareham Forest: Fire 'flares up' 24 hours after being put out

A forest fire that burned for two weeks "flared up" 24 hours after it was extinguished due to dry, windy weather conditions.

The blaze at Wareham Forest in Dorset started on 18 May and was put out on Saturday.

On Sunday, Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service said crews were damping down "multiple flare-ups".

The fire is thought to have initially been caused by a disposable barbecue or a camp-fire.

Crews attended another small forest fire on Sunday at the top of Langdon Hill, near Chideock, caused by a disposable barbeque.

They also extinguished more than 30 unattended barbecues and one bonfire in Studland, with a further 16 elsewhere, the fire service said.

It had already warned the risk of wildfires was currently "extreme".

"We have spent pretty much two weeks tackling a fire affecting 220 hectares of woodland and heath because people used disposable barbecues and had campfires," it added.

"You can enjoy the outdoors without these things so, please, think again."

It has also warned people to avoid the Wareham Forest area.

One third of the 3,700-acre Wareham Forest is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and is home to rare birds, plants and invertebrates.

Forestry England estimated it could take the forest "decades" to recover.