Firefighters are continuing to tackle a "devastating" blaze on internationally protected heathland in the New Forest National Park, which is "rarer than rainforests".
The area hit by the blaze, which started after a vehicle caught fire on the nearby A31, is protected heathland which is home to a number of rare species, according to the New Forest National Park Authority.
Rare habitat under threat
"It's rare heathland which globally is more rare than rainforest with lots of rare species," a spokeswoman said. "We have the highest concentration of lowland heathland in western Europe and it's internationally protected. It is home to all six UK native reptiles, Dartford warblers, nightjars, insects – it's devastating."
The spokeswoman added that it was too early to tell how much damage had been caused because the incident was still ongoing.
Firefighting efforts
Twenty-six fire engines and four water carries were initially at the site near Ringwood on Sunday evening, which was scaled down to 10 on Monday.
Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service received more than 160 emergency calls reporting a vehicle on fire on the eastbound A31 at about 5.24pm on Sunday. The fire service said the blaze spread from the vehicle to the central reservation before progressing into nearby heathland in a south-easterly direction towards Backley Bottom, and is in a "challenging rural location".
On Monday afternoon, the service was using drones to monitor the spread of the fire. It said: "There are more than 120 firefighters on the scene battling the heat and arduous terrain, in order to prevent further fire spread. We are monitoring the fire, which is affecting a one square kilometre area of heathland off of the A31, with police drones."
Ongoing response and warnings
"Currently, we have 10 fire engines and 13 off-road vehicles in attendance, and we plan to maintain this number of vehicles until at least midnight, although it is likely to be required for longer. We are grateful for the support from our neighbouring fire services, as well as others from across the country who are working alongside our firefighters with specialist vehicles and equipment, to resolve this incident. We know that the A31 is a crucial part of our road network, and in these summer months, many of you will want to go out to enjoy the New Forest, but we ask that you continue to avoid this area, with road closures still in place, whilst our teams work to save this part of our beautiful countryside."
The fire service has warned people living nearby that it may need to lay hoses across their property as it draws water from a nearby lake. The statement continued: "Firefighters are also laying a high-volume pump (HVP) system across Ringwood to provide a reliable and sustainable supply of water to crews tackling the fire. The fire is in a challenging rural location, where maintaining a steady water supply can be difficult. The HVP system allows us to move large amounts of water over a longer distance, helping crews maintain a continuous supply while they work to bring the fire under control. People in and around Ringwood may see firefighters and equipment involved in laying the system. This is an important part of our response and will help support firefighting operations at the scene. Please do not drive over the hose as this could cause damage and result in loss of water."
The statement added: "At present, there is no need for any properties to be evacuated. Should this situation change, affected households will be contacted directly." Motorists have been urged to avoid the area and use alternative routes whenever possible.
Local impact and wider context
A local resident said the fire was understood to have started in a lorry close to Picket Post services on the A31. Sue Bassett, a worker at a Shell garage at the services, said the road and petrol station had been shut, but the fire had moved away from the carriageway. She said: "The smoke is visible from here, you can see smoke from miles around, it's still going strong in the forest but not leaping on to the road. There are lots of firefighters, they are pumping water up from the lakes, they are having to run out pipes over the carriageway so they can't open up the road." She added: "It's almost scary with the rivers running low on water, it's a challenge."
Forestry England said in a statement that it was supporting the emergency services tackling the fire, which it said had spread to Bratley Wood and the surrounding area which includes a Canadian war memorial. The statement continues: "The fire is currently estimated as having affected over 100 hectares. Incidents like this can be devastating to all of the things that make the New Forest so special. Our team will be carefully assessing the impact once the incident is fully resolved."
A Hampshire Constabulary spokeswoman said that 23 vehicles were left behind by motorists on Sunday, which were moved by police, with the owners asked to call 101 to be reunited with their vehicles. A National Highways spokesman said its contractors were on the scene, and added: "There is significant damage to the road surface, road safety barrier and boundary fencing as a result of the fire and a subsequent oil spillage from the burnt-out vehicle. All of which will require emergency repairs when safe to do so. The road is likely to be closed throughout the day, and at this stage there is no estimated time for reopening."
Meanwhile, Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service declared a major incident on Sunday as two large fires in woodland put a strain on resources. Several wildfires have broken out in the UK over recent weeks, including large blazes at Dunwich Heath in Suffolk, Headon Warren on the Isle of Wight, Llanwonno in the Rhondda Valleys, South Wales, and the Cairngorms National Park in Scotland. Hot weather continued to build on Sunday, with the south and south-eastern parts of England expected to have the highest temperatures. According to the Fire Severity Index, any wildfires are likely to be exceptionally severe on Sunday in almost all of the east and south-east of England. "Exceptional" severity is the highest ranking.
