FIRE crews worked through the night to extinguish a heath fire in Poole that was believed to have been started deliberately.

An investigation is underway after firefighters were called to Canford Heath at around 10.23pm yesterday (March 10) following reports of a fire in the open in two areas of the heath.

Crews from Poole and Redhill Park, as well as a lightweight off-road vehicle from Wimborne and a water carrier from Poole arrived on the scene first, but the scale of the fire saw them call for more support.

Seven fire engines, two off-road vehicles and a water carrier joined up with crews from Wareham, Swanage, Sturminster Newton, Ferndown and Hamworthy as they attempted to battle the growing blaze.

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“Firefighters used compressed air foam and multiple hose reel jets to extinguish the fire,” a spokesperson for Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue said.

“Relief crews also attended from Bere Regis, Cranborne, Salisbury, Verwood and Blandford, and our stop came in at 1.17am.

“At 3.10am today (11 March) remaining hotspots were dampened down using hose reel jets.

“The cause is being investigated and believed to [be] deliberate. Heath fires can occur at any time of year or time of day, and we advise everyone to remain vigilant.”

Canford Heath is one of the largest remaining heaths in Dorset and has been formally recognised as a Site of Special Scientific Interest, Special Protection Area and Special Area of Conservation.

The heath caught fire in May 2022, as a first-person account told your New Stour & Avon.

Anyone who has information about the fire is asked to contact police.