‘Devastating’ fire on internationally protected heathland after vehicle blaze

Smoke rises from a major heathland blaze in the New Forest (Andrew Matthews/PA) - (PA Wire)

Firefighters are continuing to tackle a “devastating” blaze on internationally protected heathland in the New Forest National Park, which is “rarer than rainforests”.

The area hit by the blaze, which started after a vehicle caught fire on the nearby A31, is protected heathland which is home to a number of rare species, according to the New Forest National Park Authority.