AS the heatwave continues to turn vegetation tinder dry firefighters have been inundated with a number of grassland and hedgerow fires.

In just one day six separate grass, hedge and heath fires were reported across the conurbation.

In Poole, on Wednesday, Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service (DWFRS) was called to Ashdown Close, to a small heath fire measuring five metres square.

Then at lunchtime, just before 12.30pm, fire crews were also called out to Phelipps Road, Corfe Mullen, after a small amount of grass and bushes were reported alight near residential properties.

Just over an hour later firefighters from Redhill Park fire station rushed to Wilkinson Drive, Bournemouth, after receiving numerous calls reporting flames and smoke from a fire in grassland and bushes.

They stayed on scene for an hour, extinguishing the 30metre x 20metre fire with one hose reel jet from a fire engine and two from a Land Rover.

While this was ongoing, other firefighters from Westbourne were called to East Avenue, Bournemouth, after fencing and hedgerows again caught fire.

A second fire engine from Springbourne was needed, and firefighters remained on scene here until just after 3pm.

During these last two shouts, two crews from Poole fire station and a Land Rover from Hamworthy were mobilised to another fire on the A35/A350 slip road, where vegetation had also caught alight..

Then, rounding off the day, one pump from Springbourne and one pump and a Land Rover from Christchurch fire station were called to a 100 metres square gorse fire just off Boscombe Overcliff Drive, Bournemouth.Firefighters used two main lines to extinguish the fire.