Summary
Firefighters have worked through the night and continue to tackle a fire affecting heathland near the A31 after a van caught fire on Sunday 9 August around 5.20pm and the blaze spread to the open countryside of the National Park.
The A31 remains closed.
For the latest information about the fire and the emergency response visit:
A31 Closed Following Vehicle Fire – Hampshire & Isle of Wight Fire & Rescue Service
For the latest information on road closures and diversion routes, please visit National Highways: National Highways – A31 travel alert and diversion information
As information can change quickly during an incident please only use official channels for your latest updates and don’t share unverified details on social media.
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Live updates
11am
New Forest National Park Authority statement
Gillie Molland, Lead ranger for the New Forest National Park Authority said:
‘Globally heathland is more rare than rainforest and takes decades to develop – the New Forest has the most has the most extensive area of lowland heath remaining in Europe.
It’s home to many nationally and internationally rare species – including all six of the UK’s reptiles, insects, plants and birds such as Dartford warblers and nightjar.
The loss of rare species and biodiversity is devastating and upsets the delicate ecological balance of the Forest , as well as reducing grazing land available for commoners’ animals.
Recovery is possible but it can take many years, with some features of mature heathland taking decades to return. Some rare heathland species may be lost or recover very slowly if local populations have been affected.
We are part of the Local Resilience Forum which prepares and tests different emergency scenarios.
Last month we took part in a multi-agency ‘table top’ exercise with the emergency services, councils, landowner Forestry England and voluntary services to practice and test our collective readiness in the event of a wildfire.
How people can help
Although this incident was caused by a vehicle fire we ask people to help support our Rangers:
- BBQs, fires and stoves are illegal in the open countryside and people can be fined – a Public Space Protection Order was introduced three years ago to protect the Forest
- Don’t drop litter, especially glass which can ignite fires
- Cigarettes should be completely extinguished.
We pass on our thanks and appreciation to all those working on the incident, including the emergency services and our colleagues in Forestry England for their bravery and dedication in protecting the National Park.
10am
Forestry England statement
Our team are supporting the emergency services in responding to a significant fire in the New Forest. The blaze was started yesterday evening following a vehicle fire on the nearby A31. The fire initially spread to Bratley Wood and has since extended to the surrounding area.
The fire service are in attendance and our current priority is supporting them and ensuring they have good access to the site.
We continue to ask the public to avoid the area and to leave gateways and gravel access tracks clear to allow the fire services and our staff to manage the incident. Bratley View, the Canadian Memorial and Bolderwood car parks are all closed and are likely to stay closed all week, to keep the area clear.
The fire is currently estimated as having affected over 100 hectares. Incidents like this can be devastating to all of the things that make the New Forest so special. Our team will be carefully assessing the impact once the incident is fully resolved.