Skip to content

Canford Heath: Fire crews put out third heath fire in month

@DWFireRescue Canford Heath fire@DWFireRescue
Flames and smoke were seen rising from Canford Heath on Sunday afternoon

More than 50 firefighters have put out a third fire in a month on heathland.

The blaze, said to be across 1.5 acres (0.6 hectares), took hold at Canford Heath, Dorset, on Sunday at about 15:15 BST.

In April, more than 80 firefighters tackled a blaze that saw 20 homes evacuated.

Dorset & Wiltshire Fire & Rescue Service said: "We believe the fire to have started due to some form of human intervention."

It said the fire was under control in about two hours, with crews returning on Sunday night and Monday morning to deal with hotspots.

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

It is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and a part of the Dorset Heathlands Special Protection Area.

Presentational grey line

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