A fire on the evening of Wednesday 22nd April has damaged 200m2 of Upton Heath nature reserve. The likely cause is a disposable BBQ (pictured below on the site). The fire was put out by a Fire Crew from Dorset & Wiltshire Fire Service. Habitat destroyed includes molinia (moor grass), gorse, heather and large pine trees burnt at the base, not to mention the damage to wildlife that lives there, including rare and threatened reptiles such as the sand lizard. Dorset Wildlife Trust is pleading with members of the public not to have BBQ's, bonfires or drop cigarettes near or on nature reserves to help protect wildlife and the emergency services who are risking the spread of Covid-19 to put out fires.