Canford Heath fire: Snakes and lizards found dead

Rare snakes and lizards which died in a large heath fire have been collected by conservationists.

The reptiles died in a fire on Canford Heath, Dorset, which the fire service said was "caused deliberately".

Dorset Wildlife Trust said the impact on animal habitats had been "huge".

The Urban Heaths Partnership (UHP), which represents 10 groups protecting Dorset heathlands, collected the dead reptiles as it assessed the fire damage.

The UHP said rare smooth snakes and sand lizards, which lived on the heath, had died but it was near-impossible to identify them.

Team manager Paul Attwell said: "We collected quite a lot of mostly adult snakes and lizards.

"The heath was home to the rare smooth snake, rare sand and common lizards. We found them mostly in undergrowth and vegetation that had burned."

Mr Attwell said it was "hard to know" how much of the reptile population had been affected but that seeing it was "devastating".

The UHP, which educates children about heathland as well as monitoring wildlife and its habitat, is now making a video for secondary schools about the consequences of fire on places like Canford Heath.

"It will take 15-25 years for the heath to regenerate," Mr Attwell said.

"Bracken can grow quickly, but specialist plants like heather and gorse take a lot longer," he added.

The UHP is also about to issue leaflets to households in the Canford Heath area on what homeowners can do to make their properties less susceptible to fire.

"It's not expensive, think about what you plant in your garden, cleaning your gutters, practical advice, moving your log store, that kind of thing," said Mr Attwell.

There is also information for people if they are forced to evacuate, as residents had to during the Canford fire.

Dorset Police are continuing to investigate the fire, which consumed 16 hectares of heathland.

Sgt Fern Graham said: "We take expert advice from the fire service and, while they have indicated the cause of the fire was likely to be an intentional act, we have not been able to fully determine the cause.

"We would continue to urge anyone with information, or who may have any footage that might assist our inquiries, to please contact Dorset Police.

"We recognise the significant impact this fire has had on the local community, as well as the wildlife and natural environment of the heath, and are doing all we can to engage with residents at every opportunity."

Canford Heath is known for being the largest heathland in Dorset, and the largest lowland heath in the UK.

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