Important wildlife habitat destroyed by fire at Baggy Point
It's thought the blaze was started by a disposable barbecue
Last updated 1st Sep 2022
A huge gorse fire that tore through a North Devon beauty spot has destroyed important wildlife habitat, according to the National Trust.
The blaze at Baggy Point scorched five and a half hectares of land and pictures released by the charity show a charred landscape destroyed by fire.
The habitat of several species of reptile, small mammal and butterfly, as well as nesting sites of many types of seabird were lost in the flames.
Staff at Baggy Point expect the land to take years to fully recover at a cost of up to £10,000.
Monday’s fire at Baggy Point took 70 firefighters to bring under control and is believed to have been started by a disposable barbecue, despite frequent warnings by fire services over the summer.
National Trust Lead Ranger, Jonathan Fairhurst, said: "This is the most severe fire we’ve seen on National Trust land in North Devon in recent years.
"The coastline at Baggy Point is a haven for many types of reptile, small mammal and invertebrate and acts as a nesting site for many types of seabird. So it’s been upsetting to see these amazing habitats go up in smoke.
"Thankfully the nesting season has finished which means the local birdlife hasn’t been badly affected although nesting sites are unlikely to recover for a couple of years."
The Trust has seen a spate of fires in the past month, including one at Studland in Dorset which destroyed the habitat of some of the UK’s rarest reptiles and another at Bolberry Down in Devon which took two months to fully extinguish.
Rob Joules, the National Trust’s General Manager for North Devon added: "We’re so grateful to Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service for their efforts, and for all the offers of support we’ve received. Unfortunately, this was another fire started by people, and could have so easily been avoided.
"Climate change is really magnifying the risk of fires breaking out, and while we’ve had some rain over the past few weeks, the ground is still incredibly dry. We want people to enjoy the outdoors but not at the expense of damaging landscapes and putting lives at risks.
"We urge everyone to listen to the fire services – don’t bring BBQs to the open countryside, extinguish and responsibly dispose of cigarettes, and take any rubbish home with you."
People wishing to help the Trust look after Baggy Point and the surrounding landscape can make a donation at: nationaltrust.org.uk/baggy-point.
More information on preventing wildfires can be found at https://www.dsfire.gov.uk/safety/outdoors/wildfires.