Flames Engulfed a Vehicle Before Spreading to the Central Reservation and Nearby Heathland

Crews are working to tackle a "devastating" blaze across internationally protected heathland in the New Forest National Park, an area "rarer than rainforests". The area hit by the fire began burning after a vehicle caught light on the nearby A31, spreading into protected heathland which provides a home for several rare species, according to the New Forest National Park Authority. "It's rare heathland which globally is more rare than rainforest with lots of rare species, a spokeswoman said.

"We have the highest concentration of lowland heathland in western Europe and it's internationally protected. It is home to all six UK native reptiles, Dartford warblers, nightjars, insects – it's devastating. The spokeswoman added that assessing the full scale of damage remains impossible at present because emergency responses to the incident are ongoing. Twenty-six fire engines and four water carriers were initially at the site near Ringwood on Sunday evening, which was scaled down to 10 on Monday.