COUNTRYSIDE managers have renewed pleas for people not to do anything which could start a wildfire.

Their appeal follows a second serious fire this year on Chobham Common and other blazes on heathland during the recent hot weather.

Another 11 acres of heather and trees were destroyed at Chobham on Friday afternoon last week, following a 100-acre blaze on the national nature reserve at the end of March.

Heathland at Whitmore Common, Worplesdon, and Sheets Heath, Brookwood, has also gone up in flames in the past week, as a strong wind fanned flames in tinder-dry undergrowth.

Much of the heathland in the county is managed by Surrey Wildlife Trust, whose estate manager asked the public to be extra careful in the countryside.

“The most important thing is that people don’t discard their cigarette ends,” Lee Thorton told the News & Mail. “We also ask that people don’t use barbecues or have any naked flames such as campfires on the heathland.

“Conditions are bad for wildlife at the moment in terms of creating fires. The conditions are so dry after a winter with little rain and there is still a lot of dead grass from last year on the ground.”

Anyone seeing smoke or someone who could be lighting a fire on heathland should immediately call the fire service on 999.

For the full story get the 25 April edition of the News & Mail