Warnings over BBQ use after estate grass fire

Three crews responded and managed to extinguish the fire

People have been warned to be aware of dry conditions after a large grass fire was caused by two disposable BBQs.

Fire crews from across Bristol tackled the large fire on the Stoke Park Estate on the edge of Bristol on Thursday.

The blaze destroyed wildlife habitats and conservation projects on the estate which sits beside the M32 motorway.

Avon Fire and Rescue Service said its crews had dealt with 14 grass fires in Bristol and North Somerset on Tuesday alone.

Among those fires were several that were started deliberately, the service added.

Stoke Park Estate is a 270-acre (109 hectare) park which is a local site of nature conservation interest.

Park ranger Ash Kent told BBC Radio Bristol that were it not for the quick response of fire and rescue services, the blaze could have been much worse.

"I was actually working in the field next door, so I got there within minutes of it actually going up and if I'm perfectly honest, the speed at which it travelled through that grass was immense.

"If I hadn't been there at that time to get the fire service round to the main entrance and get the fire crews actually on, the fire would have been way, way worse."

Recently-built habitats made to support local wildlife were destroyed, as well as a range of young plants and vegetation that had been carefully introduced as part of conservation efforts.

'Common sense needed'

Conservationist Steve England, who lives on the edge of the park, said: "People really need to use common sense. You don't have a naked flame on dry grass during a heatwave."

He says the fire caused some ecological damage, but added the park will recover.

"It's all the wildflower meadows on the hills. To be honest with you, a lot of it is dead grass so the damage is not as bad as what you might think it is, because it's just burnt off all the dead grass and it will regenerate.

"Obviously you're going to get lots of bugs burnt out and insects and all sorts of things."