Ninety firefighters were deployed when the blaze was first reported at around 1pm on Friday and 10 fire engines were dispatched from neighboring areas, Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service (DWFRS) said. A spokeswoman for the force told the PA news agency that a disposable barbecue was the most likely cause. “We found evidence of a small camp where someone had used a disposable barbecue. we can’t say 100% that this was the cause, but when we find evidence, we have to assume that this is the most likely cause – fires don’t just start on their own,” he said. Archie Bland and Nimo Omer take you to the top stories and what they mean, free every weekday morning Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain information about charities, online advertising and content sponsored by external parties. For more information, see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and Google’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Dorset and Wiltshire Fire Service reported there was almost a 500% increase in bushfires in the first 10 days of August this year compared to 2021. Jason Moncrieff, area director for the service, told the BBC’s Today programme: “It’s a huge difference. In the first 10 days of August this year compared to last year there were 492% more fires of this kind. So it’s field fires, grass fires, heather fires – all those types of wildfires, a 492% increase this year. He also said the Studland Peninsula fire could have been avoided. “Strangely, yesterday’s fire looks like it was started by a disposable barbecue. There can’t be many people in Britain who don’t know that the advice at the moment is don’t bring barbecues, don’t use barbecues, especially disposable barbecues in these places like Studland Heath. That’s our message, bring a picnic – don’t bring a barbecue. “It’s under control – it’s a much better situation than yesterday – [but] we will likely continue business throughout the rest of the day. For how much longer, I can’t really say.” Official drought was declared in eight areas of England on Friday by the National Drought Group (NDG), which is made up of representatives from the government, water companies, the Environment Agency (EA) and others. Fire crews in Derbyshire tackled a huge blaze in Creswell, Worksop. Footage shared online showed flames filling the horizon and large plumes of smoke in the sky above a residential area. Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service also tackled embankment flames next to a railway in Matlock and near junction 26 of the M1. The agency said it was “planning for a busy weekend” with further fires, and echoed an appeal for people to refrain from lighting garden fires or using portable barbecues. Around 35 firefighters were deployed to tackle a two-hectare blaze at Leyton Flats Wildlife Reserve in Waltham Forest, east London.
