Poole residents are being urged to stay vigilant as summer approaches, after Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service said the number of fires in the open has more than doubled since 2023. The service recorded 1,040 fires in 2025, compared with 510 in 2023, and says deliberately set blazes remain a concern across the area.
The warning comes as Poole sits close to several heathland sites that are vulnerable to wildfire, including Canford Heath and Upton Heath. Those areas form part of the Dorset Heathlands Special Protection Area, and fire crews say dry conditions can allow flames to spread quickly.
DWFRS issued an Amber wildfire alert on 21 April 2026 for its Dorset and Wiltshire area, saying any wildfire could spread quickly and easily because of dry weather. The service has also pointed to recent major incidents, including the Holt Heath fire near Wimborne in 2025, which destroyed about 72 hectares of land and took another week to bring under control.
Marc House, head of prevention and protection at DWFRS, said firefighters, control room staff and partners had worked hard to bring incidents such as Canford Heath and Holt Heath to a safe conclusion. He said deliberately setting fires is reckless, dangerous and a criminal offence, and urged people to report suspicious behaviour, discarded ignition materials or small fires immediately. Inspector Adam Gill of Dorset Police said officers will patrol heathland areas as part of a coordinated response and will thoroughly investigate any fires reported to have been started deliberately.
The warning follows a series of heathland fires over the weekend of 28 and 29 March 2026 in the Sandford and Wareham areas, when more than 60 firefighters from 15 fire stations were deployed. DWFRS and its partners, including the Dorset Heaths Partnership, say the aim is to prevent further damage to the rare lowland heathland that helps support birds, reptiles and other wildlife.
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