Firefighters tackle blaze on marshland at Calshot beach
PARENTS have been told to “make sure they know where their children are” after more fires raged over the weekend.
Following a blaze at Calshot last Friday evening, and another at Moors Valley on Saturday, Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service (DWFRS) issued a public warning.
Speaking after being called back to Moors Valley Country Park in Ringwood in the early hours, group manager Shaun Milton said: “We are working hard with Forestry England, Dorset Police and other key partners to try to stop these fires from occurring. But I am frustrated to have had to go back to the forest to witness the mindless destruction of this beautiful habitat.
“Whilst there overnight I spotted an individual on their bike. This has been reported to the police, but I would ask residents and parents to make sure they know where their children and family members are overnight. We are continuing to work with the police to establish the cause of the fires.”
As reported in the A&T, Moors Valley reopened last Friday after it was forced to shut as firefighters tackled blazes at the site for three consecutive days.
On the Waterside, an area of marshland near Calshot beach was destroyed in a blaze last Friday evening.
The fire was spotted by National Coastwatch Institution volunteers who were manning the watch tower, which stands approximately 100 feet above sea level and has a 360° view over Southampton Water and the Solent.
NCI member Jerry Weber told the A&T: “Normally our concerns are for people in the water but at around 6.50pm we noticed a small fire [on the marsh]. Because of our vantage point and powerful binoculars, we were able to spot it early.
“With the recent Dorset fires we were aware it could spread quickly because it is so dry. The fire brigade turned up within seven or eight minutes and got it under control, but it was moving quickly. Fortunately, the wind was blowing away from the beach huts.”
A spokesperson for Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service said crews from Hardley, Hythe, Beaulieu, Eastleigh and Ringwood attended the fire.
It said firefighters used a main jet and two hose reels to tackle the blaze, which was estimated to have affected an area of around 600-metres by 200-metres.
The spokesperson confirmed the cause of the fire was not being investigated, due to the size of the area affected making it difficult to locate and identify where the fire originated and what sparked it.
Crews left the scene around 10pm and firefighters from Hardley returned on Saturday morning to carry out a reinspection of the site to check for any hotspots. The cause of the blaze is not yet known.
Ryan Mc, who captured drone footage of the incident, told the A&T: “From the air the scale was more intense then it first appeared, plumes of smoke were rising rapidly.
“It was a shocking sight, but also a reminder of how vital quick response and clear visibility are in emergencies like this – well done to the fire crew and everyone that helped.”
Last week crews also tackled two other fires on heathland at Upton Heath in Poole, which engulfed over 126 acres, and nearby Canford Heath, which affected around six acres.
Superintendent Claire Phillips, of Dorset Police, said: “We recognise the damage recent heath and forest fires have caused to the natural habitat as well as the risks they pose to members of the public in the area. We are fully committed to working with our colleagues in the fire service to establishing the causes of these fires, and where they are suspected to have been started deliberately, we will be carrying out a full investigation to identify those involved.
“We would also urge members of the public to play their part by heeding warnings from the fire service in relation to refraining from having open fires or barbecues in these areas and also to make sure they report any suspicious activity to us.”
Information on how to prevent countryside fires and what to do if you see one can be found at www.hantsfire.gov.uk/safety/safety-outdoors/in-the-countryside
