London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Tuesday, Jul 29, 2025

UK heatwave: Studland fire caused by barbecue - fire service

UK heatwave: Studland fire caused by barbecue - fire service

A huge fire which tore through a popular nature reserve and forced the evacuation of a beach was most likely caused by a barbecue, firefighters say.

At its height on Friday, 90 firefighters tackled the blaze at Studland Heath in Dorset and crews remain at the scene.

Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service said it had discovered a used disposable barbecue amid the ashes.

It has urged people not risk using barbecues in the countryside.

Firefighters were alerted at about 13:00 BST on Friday and had to work in dense smoke which could be seen for miles around.

Flames leapt across the Isle of Purbeck, forcing police to evacuate Studland beach which had been busy with holiday-makers.

Crews worked throughout the night as they attempted to contain the fire.

A firefighter tackles the blaze at the Studland Heath nature reserve on the Isle of Purbeck


Studland Heath is a Site of Special Scientific Interest and home to all six species of native British reptiles including the rare and nationally endangered sand lizard and smooth snake and the rare Dartford Warbler.

A fire service spokeswoman said: "We found evidence of a little camp where someone had used a disposable barbecue, we can't say 100% that was the cause but when we find evidence we have to assume that's the most likely cause - fires don't just start on their own".

Area manager Jason Moncrief said: "There can't be many people left in Britain who don't know the advice at the moment is do not use a disposable barbecue at these places.

"Bring a picnic, use our local cafes, restaurants and takeaways, don't bring a barbecue."

Even after the flames had been quelled the land was still smouldering


On Saturday, Dorset Police issued an appeal for people to not park in the area after reports that hundreds of cars had ignored no-parking signs.

The restrictions were put in place to allow firefighters to deal with the ongoing incident.

Some drivers had reportedly moved a water hose running along on Ferry Road so they could park.

"Our fire colleagues are working in extreme conditions to tackle this blaze and they need the public to help them, not hinder them," a police spokesperson said.

The chain ferry linking Studland to Sandbanks in Poole was used to get people off the beach

In a bid to reduce the numbers of disposable barbecues in use, several supermarket chains have stopped selling them during the UK heatwave.


On Friday, Co-op announced it was the latest to join the moratorium and said it would not sell the product while the dry spell continued.

Southern and central England and parts of Wales are subject to an amber extreme heat alert until Sunday.

The Met Office has also issued its highest alert for fire severity over the weekend, warning there is an "exceptional" risk of blazes spreading.

Amid the stark caution, firefighters have strived to stress the dangers of careless behaviour when out in the countryside.

Smoke from the blaze, which engulfed undergrowth and gorse, could be seen from across Poole Harbour

The fire service said an overland mains supply of water had been installed



Video shows a fire on the Studland peninsula in Purbeck, Dorset


Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
A family has been arrested in the UK for displaying the British flag
Mel Gibson refuses to work with Robert De Niro, saying, "Keep that woke clown away from me."
Trump Steamrolls EU in Landmark Trade Win: US–EU Trade Deal Imposes 15% Tariff on European Imports
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman says people share personal info with ChatGPT but don’t know chats can be used as court evidence in legal cases.
The British propaganda channel BBC News lies again.
Deputy attorney general's second day of meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell has concluded
Controversial March in Switzerland Features Men Dressed in Nazi Uniforms
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
Thai Civilian Death Toll Rises to 12 in Cambodian Cross-Border Attacks
TSUNAMI: Trump Just Crossed the Rubicon—And There’s No Turning Back
Over 120 Criminal Cases Dismissed in Boston Amid Public Defender Shortage
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
Trump Announces $550 Billion Japanese Investment and New Trade Agreements with Indonesia and the Philippines
US Treasury Secretary Calls for Institutional Review of Federal Reserve Amid AI‑Driven Growth Expectations
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
Microsoft, US Lab to Use AI for Faster Nuclear Plant Licensing
Trump Walks Back Talk of Firing Fed Chair Jerome Powell
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Irish Tech Worker Detained 100 days by US Authorities for Overstaying Visa
Dimon Warns on Fed Independence as Trump Administration Eyes Powell’s Succession
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
×