The damage caused by last night's wildfire at Ferndown has been captured in these latest pictures.

More than 100 firefighters battled the blaze at Ferndown Common and remain on site this morning.

Watch manager Andy Stirling, speaking from the scene, told the Daily Echo: “The fire has been extinguished, there are multiple hot spots.

"We have three heavy off road appliances on the heath, obviously putting lots of water on cooling it down.”

At the height of the fire, yesterday, there were 15 fire engines, with almost 100 firefighters tackling the blaze.

Andy said: “We still have members of the public entering the heathland.

“Yes they are staying on the track, but it is still quite dangerous for them and their dogs and the heat that is still out there.

“We would advise people to stay away from Ferndown Common.”

At one point it was feared flames could reach local homes.

DWFRS Wildfire Tactical Advisor Andy Elliott said: “With the hot, dry weather continuing, we would urge people to take real care when enjoying the sunshine in our beautiful countryside.


"If you do want a campfire or barbecue, please make sure that you’re in a safe area and that the ashes are fully extinguished and damped down before you leave.

Video from Mike Tutt

"Large wildfires are thankfully rare but, when they do occur, they take a great deal of resources to bring under control, which impacts the availability of appliances for property fires and other emergencies.

"The damage to local wildlife is also significant, often destroying ecosystems that have taken years to build up."

NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

Dear Readers

A huge thank you to all of those of you who contributed to coverage of the fires across the area yesterday.

We were inundated with pictures, videos and helpful information as the incidents unfolded.

As ever, your contributions were invaluable in helping us tell the story, online and in print.

As the media landscape changes, particularly for local publishers like the Daily Echo, working for and with our communities is more important than ever.

We could not do this without you.

Thank you again.

Andy Martin

Editor

And all the editorial staff at the Daily Echo