Firefighters leave heath fire after six days

The fire has burnt an estimated 72 hectares (177 acres) of heathland

Crews have stood down from the site of a large heath fire that spread rapidly in windy conditions.

The fire at Holt Heath, north of Wimborne in Dorset, is believed to have been started deliberately on Saturday morning and burnt an estimated 72 hectares (177 acres) of land.

Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue (DWFRS) said after reviewing drone footage it has decided to scale back it presences in the area through the night and for "at least the next 24 hours".

A major incident had been declared due to the size of the blaze with appliances and specialist support from other parts of the country called in to help.

DWFRS said crews from 17 stations across the country had supported them in tackling the blaze from as far afield as Manchester, Merseyside and Lincolnshire.

A statement said: "During the week, 47 of our 50 fire stations have had personnel on site, often on multiple occasions.

"The Newton Heath fire the week before, which overlapped, had personnel from 43 of our stations, again often more than once.

"This huge call on our resources is why we accepted help from other services, via the National Resilience arrangements."

It added that an amber wildfire warning remains in place and it encouraged people not to have barbecues or campfires on open ground, and to report any suspicious behaviour that could be someone setting fires deliberately.

An amber wildfire warning remains in place in the area

The heathland, cared for by the National Trust, is home to six native UK reptiles.

Rangers from the trust along with volunteers have been combing the charred ground searching for survivors.

They have managed to save about 30 reptiles and the survivors have been released into areas unaffected by the fire.