4 days ago
Firefighters put out majority of large heath fire
A large heath fire that spready rapidly in windy conditions now has just two remaining areas where crews are on site purely to monitor any possible flare-ups.
The fire at Holt Heath, north of Wimborne in Dorset, is believed to have been started deliberately on Saturday morning and has burnt about 69 hectares (170 acres) of land.
Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue said its progress tackling the fire was "very positive news".
A major incident had beeen declared due to the size of the blaze with appliances and specialist support from other parts of the country called in to help.
The heathland, cared for by the National Trust, is home to all six native UK reptiles.
Rangers from the trust along with volunteers from Amphibian and Reptile Conservation, Birds of BARI and Dorset Heaths have been combing the charred ground searching for survivors.
National Trust Purbeck ranger, Emma Finlinson said: "At first, we were only finding burnt and dead reptiles, which was really heart-wrenching.
"However, when we found the first live ones, it was really joyous. Being able to do something positive - even if only something small in comparison to the devastation of the fire - feels really worthwhile."
They have managed to save about 30 reptiles to date, including a sand lizard - the rarest lizard in the UK - a grass snake, slow worms and common lizards found sheltering in tiny pockets of vegetation.
The survivors have been released into areas unaffected by the fire.
The fire service said the cause of the fire at Holt Heath was currently unknown.
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Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Authority
