Crews leave heath after 10 days fighting wildfire

The protected heathland habitat is home to rare species

A wildfire in south Dorset that burned for 10 days, destroying more than 54 acres (22ha) of heath and forest habitat, has been extinguished.

The blaze at Newton Heath, reported in the early hours of Sunday 3 August, was one of a spate of suspected arson incidents reported in one night in the Studland area.

Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue (DWFR) said it had now left the site and extended a "big thank you" to everyone who supported the operation.

Crews remain at the site of a separate wildfire at Holt Heath near Wimborne.

DWFR said it had handed over the incident to Forestry England on Tuesday morning, with the last crews leaving the site shortly after 11:00 BST.

Crews and vehicles from three counties were drafted in to deal with the fire, which was exacerbated by dry conditions and strong winds.

Dorset's heaths are home to all six native reptiles - the smooth snake, grass snake, adder, sand lizard, common lizard and slow worm.

Paul Attwell of Dorset Heaths Partnership said: "Our team have mapped the fire, as we do with all heathland fire incidents, and it burned an area just over 22 hectares.

"The area was surveyed by the Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Trust who concluded very few reptiles were thought to be alive on the fire site so a full-scale rescue was not undertaken."

Dorset Heaths Partnership is made up of 10 organisations working together to protect and enhance the Dorset heathlands.