IT could have been so much worse.

The blaze on Canford Heath on Tuesday night caused significant damage but thankfully no lives were lost.

The night was cooler than of late and there was little wind. Otherwise the fire might have spread faster and a lot further. Meanwhile, a second blaze at Ham Common yesterday sparked another major operation.

The shocking thing about Canford Heath is that someone (or more than one person) set the fire in four places.

These common criminals must be caught. Or next time it will be worse.