Canford Heath at risk as people avoid burnt areas

The largest lowland heath in the UK and scene of three fires in four weeks is at risk of "people pressure," according to the fire service.

Flames have destroyed 25 hectares of Canford Heath, near Poole, Dorset and Wiltshire Fire Service (DWFS) said.

Group Manager Graham Kewley said the campaign to ban the use of disposable BBQs was having some success.

But Mr Kewley said the public was avoiding areas which had succumbed to the previous fires.

"It creates people pressure, where the public moves into new areas on other parts of the heathland," he added.

This increase in numbers was unsurprising as "no-one wants to spend time where there were fires".

BBQs are banned on the heath, as are the use of motorbikes, because particles from hot exhausts can spark fires, "but we do still find people using BBQs and we get reports of mini-motorbikes too", Mr Kewley said.

The heathland is unique because it is so close to densely populated Poole and popular with a leisure-seeking public.

In June 2020 the New Forest National Park Authority launched its BBQ-free New Forest campaign following the fire which devastated Wareham Forest in Dorset the previous month.

"The idea of that kind of fire ripping through the New Forest didn't bear thinking about," lead ranger Gillie Molland said.

With support from the National Trust and Forestry England, local retailers were encouraged to stop selling disposable BBQs. By June 2021 the number of outdoor fires fell by 40%.

Since then Aldi and Waitrose have removed disposable BBQs from their shelves nationwide.

While the New Forest is known for its ponies, Canford Heath does have grazing cattle, part of "vegetation management" according to Paul Attwell from the Urban Heath Partnership (UHP).

"The Shetland and British Whites, they're rare breeds owned by the BCP Council, fortunately they were grazing at the other end of the heath during April's fire," Mr Attwell said.

The UHP said while fires were to be expected, Dorset heathland averaged 107 fires a year, it would like an outright ban on disposable BBQs.

High Peak MP Robert Largan is currently trying to pass a bill in Parliament to ban single-use BBQs on open moorland and give local authorities the power to ban their sale.

In 2020 New Forest MP Julian Lewis presented a petition to Parliament to outlaw them.

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