Fire-hit nature reserve 'will never be the same'

A man stands outside in a nature reserve and looks at the camera. He has grey hair that has been slicked back. He is wearing a dark purple jumper.

Image source, Stuart Howells/BBCImage caption,

Ian Barthorpe from RSPB Minsmere was concerned for invertebrates and reptiles at the site

ByStuart Howells, at RSPB Minsmere and Alice Cunningham, Suffolk

Published56 minutes ago

A nature reserve has said the wildlife "will never really be the same again" after a huge wildfire almost three months ago.

The blaze, which broke out on 29 July, started on the edge of RSPB Minsmere before it spread to neighbouring Dunwich Heath on the Suffolk coast.

Firefighters have been unable to determine the cause.

Ian Barthorpe, visitor experience officer at Minsmere, said the team was concerned about the long-term implications the fire.

"It's going to be a long process of recovery of the habitat and some species like the deer and the birds have relocated to other parts of the reserve," he explained.

"But unfortunately we're really concerned about the impacts it will have on some of the invertebrates, the plants and the reptiles.

"It'll be 20 years or more before those parts of the reserve start to look like they used to."

Some trails and heathland areas of the site were hit by the fire, but fortunately wind conditions as well as the vegetation and marshland had stopped it spreading further into the reserve.

Parts of the heathland were still recording temperatures of more than 53C (127F) underground earlier this month.

Part of a nature reserve that has been destroyed in a wildfire. The ground and vegetation has been burnt.

Image source, Stuart Howells/BBCImage caption,

Parts of RSPB Minsmere were destroyed in the fire

Barthorpe said he had been shocked at the "apocalyptic scenes" following the fire which he said had been "quite sobering".

"It's changed the landscape so much," he continued.

"We were lucky in many ways - we didn't lose buildings, we didn't lose life or human life, but from a wildlife point of view, it will never really quite be the same again."

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Figure caption,

Watch: Smoke fills the sky over Dunwich Heath

The main nature reserve, visitor centre and trails around its wetland areas were not affected in the fire and are all open, although the National Trust has closed Dunwich Heath and the adjoining beach to visitors.

The reserve is best known for its avocets, bitterns and other water birds, and has been a base for the BBC Springwatch programme.

Barthorpe said there was still "amazing wildlife" and "stunning scenery" for visitors to enjoy and see.

"Let's celebrate what we've got more than what we've lost and ensure that we've still got it for the future," he added.