A large fire at a nature reserve in Dorset was likely started by a barbecue, firefighters say. Firefighters battled overnight to bring the fire under control at Studland Heath on Friday.
Ninety firefighters were deployed when the blaze was first reported at around 1pm on Friday, and 10 fire engines were dispatched from neighboring areas, Dorset and Wiltshire Rescue and Rescue Service said ( DWFRS).
A spokeswoman for the force told the PA news agency that a disposable barbecue was the most likely cause. “We found evidence of a small camp where someone had used a disposable barbecue; we can’t say 100% that this was the cause, but when we find evidence, we have to assume that this is the most likely cause – fires don’t start themselves,” he said.
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Dorset and Wiltshire Fire Service said there had been a near 500% increase in bushfires in the first 10 days of August this year compared to 2021.
Jason Moncrieff, area manager of the service, told the BBC’s Today programme: “It’s a huge difference. In the first 10 days of August this year compared to last year there was a 492% increase in fires of that type. So that’s wildfires, grass fires, heather fires, all those types of outdoor fires, up 492% this year.
He also said the fire on the Studland Peninsula could have been prevented. “Amazingly, yesterday’s fire appears to have been started by a disposable barbecue. There can’t be many people in Britain who don’t know that the advice at the moment is not to bring barbecues, not to use barbecues, especially barbecues disposable in these places like Studland Heath That’s our message, bring a picnic, don’t bring a barbecue.
“It’s under control, it’s much better than yesterday. [but] We will probably continue to operate for the rest of the day. How much longer, I really can’t say.”
The National Drought Group (NDG), which is made up of representatives from the government, water companies, the Environment Agency (EA) and others, declared an official drought in eight areas of England on Friday.
Firefighters from Derbyshire tackled a large fire in Creswell, Worksop. Images shared online showed flames filling the horizon and large plumes of smoke in the sky over a residential area.
Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service also battled flames on the embankment next to a railway in Matlock and near junction 26 of the M1.
The service said it was “planning for a busy weekend” of further fires and echoed the plea for people to refrain from lighting garden fires or using portable barbecues.
About 35 firefighters were deployed to tackle a two-hectare blaze at Leyton Flats wildlife reserve in Waltham Forest, east London.