NONE of the trio of dramatic wildfires, which stretched fire services and threatened properties in the conurbation this week, are being investigated as arson.

Dorset Police confirmed neither the Ferndown Common fire, the Canford Heath blaze, nor the Ham Common wildfire are being treated as suspicious at this stage.

This means all three wildfires, which were fought by more than 100 firefighters within hours of one another, may have been caused inadvertently by careless members of the public.

Witnesses to the massive Ferndown Common blaze, which tore through 13 hectares of protected heathland, described it as scene out of a Hollywood disaster movie.

Fifteen fire engines and associated vehicles, with more than 90 firefighters, tackled the inferno, bringing it under control before it could threaten nearby homes and Ferndown Middle School.

Eric Linge, who works at the adjacent King George V Playing Fields, told the Echo: “With the flames and the smoke backdrop over the buildings, it looked like a volcano had gone off in a disaster film.

“You couldn’t see the other side across the field, it was just black with smoke.”

Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service (DWFRS) Watch Manager Andy Stirling, who attended both incidents at Canford Heath and Ferndown Common, told the Echo firefighters were likely to remain at Ferndown Common dampening down for at least two days.

Mr Stirling said: “This morning we still have members of the public entering onto the heathland.

“Yes they are staying on the tracks, but that is still quite dangerous for them and for their dogs due to the smoke and the heat. 

“If your dogs are running off onto the heathland there is a possibility they could burn their paws severely.

“We would advise people to stay away from Ferndown Common until the incident is closed.”

Meanwhile, at Ham Common, visitors were walking amidst the charred remains of heathland devastated by Thursday’s third wildfire.

At the height of the blaze 50 firefighters were needed to bring it under control.

Speaking from Ferndown Common, yesterday, Mr Stirling continued: “We were at Haymoor School, that took a lot of our resources.

“While that was coming to an end, this fire started at Ferndown Common as well.

“We had people (firefighters) leaving one incident to go straight to another.”

Thursday was one of the busiest days for DWFRS so far this year, particularly in and around the conurbation.

Mr Stirling said: “Yesterday we were quite pushed, we had all appliances out and it was backfill in the stations.

“We need to make sure that we have a strategic plan in place, to ensure properties and, like in this instance, schools, are not involved.

“We will put our plan in place, we’ve got the resources and the benefit of being able to count on Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service coming in as well. As we move our appliances up from the west of the county, Devon and Somerset will also support us.”

On how visitors should behave on the conurbation’s heaths during the ongoing heatwave, he said: “The fire service is not here to spoil your holidays.

“It is lovely weather and you must enjoy it. All we will say is please be careful when you do go onto areas like this, the ground, the grass, is very dry and easily combustible.

“Please be mindful that a discarded cigarette, a barbecue, anything that can set fire to the grass, can have serious consequences.

“Unfortunately fire is unpredictable.”

Ferndown Common continued smouldering throughout on Friday with firfighters working in shifts to dampen down.

Mr Stirling explained: “The fire has been extinguished but there are multiple hotspots.

“We have three heavy offroad appliances on the heath, putting a lot of water on and cooling it down.

“We also have normal fire engines on the hard standing ground, going through the fence line and doing the same as the offroad vehicles.

“We’ve also used Land Rovers, which are a bit more adaptable to the terrain.”

Adam Jones, who was visiting relatives locally from London when the fire took hold, praised firefighters for their efforts.

He said: “I’d got off the train from Waterloo at 7.20pm. We were driving past Bournemouth Airport and just saw all these plumes of smoke coming right across the skyline.

“It was clearly a big fire and it was in the direction we were heading.”