Fire Destroys Dorset Heath Land

26 April 2011, 10:18 | Updated: 26 April 2011, 10:22

An investigation's underway after a large part of Dorset heath land was destroyed by fire.

It took 40 fire-fighters to control the fire at Cannon Hill Plantation, Uddens Drive. near Wimbourne on Sunday (24th April). They were called at 2.10pm, with crews from Wimborne and Ferndown attending and quickly requested support.

At the height of the fire six fire engines, three landrovers and a special vehicle with a large water canon were at the scene. The blaze affected approximately one and a half hectares of both trees and gorse.

Station Manager Dai Jones, Incident Commander at this fire said: "Crews worked extremely hard in the heat to extinguish this fire and stop it spreading further. The cause of this fire is under investigation but we do not believe it to be suspicious."