A major project to restore vital peatlands to Canford Heath has been completed More than 37 hectares of land – the equivalent of 53 football pitches – has undergone extensive re-wetting since the start of the year The work forms part of a £1 million project by Dorset Peat Partnership – of which BCP Council is a partner – to restore 16 peatlands across the county Canford Heath’s restoration has taken around six weeks with fire-damaged pines removed and repurposed to create a functioning bog system Timber from the pines has been used to block drainage channels; dense areas of Molinia grass tussocks have been reduced to increase groundwater saturation and contour bunds have been created with peat to hold water behind All of this work improves the habitat for nature and reduces the risk of urban wildfires The work is necessary after habitats have become drier and peat soils degraded because of man-made drainage in recent years It is hoped the re-wetting of Canford Heath will help rare species to thrive once again – including dragonflies Peatlands help to manage flooding and droughts and are capable of holding up to 50 times their weight in water Re-wetting and restoring the formation of peats helps reduce greenhouse gases by capturing up to three times as much carbon as woodlands Healthy peat locks away carbon in a way that survives waterlogged conditions – helping to counteract the main driver behind rising temperatures. said: “I am delighted to see the completion of such important work at Canford Heath been in a state of decline over recent years; this project secures essential revitalisation to the habitats “Restoring peatlands will deliver long term ecological benefits for the surrounding areas and help protect the many species that live in our wetlands and help protect the urban area from flooding events.” Project Manager at Dorset Peat Partnership it’s great to see the works completed and to already see water being stored on the heath using nature-based solutions “We hope that local users will be impressed with the new habitats that will form in the future.” has worked to restore 172 hectares of damaged peatlands over the last eighteen months The £1 million grant is 75 per cent funded by the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs; Nature for Climate Peatland Grant Scheme The remaining £250,000 is sourced from other partners and private donors You have successfully joined our subscriber list Get real time updates directly on you device Email andy@bournemouthone.com with any news and information you have locally Firefighters from Dorset and neighbouring Hampshire have been tackling two large heath fires in Poole overnight involved more than 80 firefighters and affected an area of around 300 metres by 500 metres was just after five o’clock this morning and affected an area of around 500 metres by 50 metres The causes of both fires are unknown with investigations now underway Residents are being asked to avoid the area where possible but no road closures are currently in place The latest statement on the Canford Heath fire from Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service says: “We are currently dealing with a fire at Canford Heath having received the first of multiple 999 calls at 5.25am this morning “Firefighters from across the Service area and from Hampshire & IoW FRS are tackling the blaze which has affected an area of around 500m x 50m “Many of these crews have been working through the night at the Upton Heath fire we don’t know what caused the fire to start but an investigation will take place once the fire is fully under control “We are accessing the site via Canford Heath Road and Francis Avenue the fire has been extinguished and work is now underway to ensure that all hot spots are dampened down “We expect to be on scene for some time.” Poole Fire Station also posted: “Approx 80 firefighters from across the Service area have been tackling a blaze at Upton Heath overnight “The fire has affected an area of around 300m x 500m and crews have been using hose reel jets and beaters to extinguish it “This has been hard work in dark and arduous conditions and we now believe the fire to be contained but an investigation will take place once it’s daylight and the fire is fully under control “We are accessing the site via Beacon Road so please take extra care in that area.” FIRE crews worked through the night to extinguish a heath fire in Poole that was believed to have been started deliberately An investigation is underway after firefighters were called to Canford Heath at around 10.23pm yesterday (March 10) following reports of a fire in the open in two areas of the heath as well as a lightweight off-road vehicle from Wimborne and a water carrier from Poole arrived on the scene first but the scale of the fire saw them call for more support two off-road vehicles and a water carrier joined up with crews from Wareham Ferndown and Hamworthy as they attempted to battle the growing blaze READ MORE: Teenager Rosie captures dramatic moments when heath caught fire READ MORE: Prison sentence for disqualified Poole driver who was caught speeding twice READ MORE: No asylum or refugee hotels in Poole, BCP Council confirms “Firefighters used compressed air foam and multiple hose reel jets to extinguish the fire,” a spokesperson for Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue said “Relief crews also attended from Bere Regis “At 3.10am today (11 March) remaining hotspots were dampened down using hose reel jets “The cause is being investigated and believed to [be] deliberate Heath fires can occur at any time of year or time of day and we advise everyone to remain vigilant.” Canford Heath is one of the largest remaining heaths in Dorset and has been formally recognised as a Site of Special Scientific Interest Special Protection Area and Special Area of Conservation The heath caught fire in May 2022, as a first-person account told your New Stour & Avon. Anyone who has information about the fire is asked to contact police Follow us on Facebook Subscribe to the Newsletter The New Blackmore Vale Magazine Salisbury &Avon Magazine The Purbeck Gazette Eco & Environment, Poole | Posted on April 3rd, 2025 | return to news Approximately 80 firefighters from across the Dorset and Wiltshire Fire Service area have been tackling a blaze at Upton Heath and Canford Heath overnight after receiving the first of multiple 999 calls at 11.44pm on Wednesday 2 April Stations attending include those from Wimborne The fire has affected an area of around 300m x 500m a spokesman from the fire service said: “This has been hard work in dark and arduous conditions We are accessing the site via Beacon Road so please take extra care in that area.” Poole Fire Station reported that crews remain on the scene at Upton Heath following fire and continue to damp down affected areas Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service has extended an amber wildfire alert it could spread quickly and easily due to the dry conditions The risk is greatest on large areas of open land there was a fire at Moors Valley Country Park which has destroyed several hectares of heathland Area Manager Ant Bholah said: “We have already had a number of devastating fires this year “While the glorious weather is very welcome especially with the school holidays looming it does mean the ground and foliage are dry leading to a greater risk of fire spreading if something happens to cause ignition We would urge anyone going out and about in our beautiful countryside over the coming days to take extra care and be vigilant follow our advice to #BringAPicnicNotABarbecue and avoid having campfires on heathland or in woodlands.” Subscribe to the online magazine news letter and website in this browser for the next time I comment Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" DORSET VIEWDana HouseSpinneys LaneFerndownDorsetBH22 9BZ © Dorset View 2025 | Terms & Conditions  |  Copyright  |  Privacy Policy  |  Cookie Policy Dozens of firefighters have been tackling two large heath fires in Dorset Around 80 firefighters were called to the first blaze at Upton Heath near Poole just before midnight on Wednesday 2 April Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service (DWFRS) said an area of around 300m x 500m was affected and added that tackling the blaze had been "hard work in dark and arduous conditions" It was brought under control by 7am this morning with crews continuing to damp down hotspots said he feared the fire could be a danger to life “I’m shocked and saddened for the wildlife and I’m pleased nobody was hurt,” he said The cause of the fire is not yet clear but an investigation will now take place Video of the aftermath at Upton Heath posted on Poole Fire Station's Facebook page Crews were then called to a second blaze at nearby Canford Heath Multiple 999 calls were received by DWFRS at around 5.25am on Thursday we drove straight past the blaze by Mannings Heath roundabout but knew that it was in the wrong direction It must have happened just before we left the house.” Meanwhile Moors Valley Country Park on the Dorset-Hampshire border will remain closed after being hit by multiple wildfires since Monday (31 March) DWFRS crews were called to the park again on Wednesday after more hotspots were discovered during a re-inspection near Ringwood Several hectares of woodland have been destroyed A spokesperson for DWFRS said: “The cause is still unknown at this time “There is currently an amber wildfire alert in place for the service area and we urge people to take extra care while enjoying our open spaces in the sunshine “Heath fires can occur at any time of year or time of day and we advise everyone to remain vigilant.” A Moors Valley Country Park and Forest spokesperson urged the public to stay away from the park A statement said: “We are asking the public not to enter the park or surrounding forest until it is confirmed that the area is safe “Updates including when we will reopen will be provided on our website and social media channels as soon as possible.” Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know.. 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You can change your cookie settings at any time Freedom of Information releases and corporate reports The Environment Agency has today launched a consultation into an environmental permit application for an incinerator in Canford Magna MVV Environment Ltd has applied for the permit to operate an incinerator on the Canford Resource Park and has separately also applied to Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole Council for planning permission The company wants to burn up to 260,000 tonnes of non-hazardous waste each year in an incinerator known as an Energy from Waste Combined Heat and Power facility The proposed facility will burn waste to produce energy in the form of electricity Power from this process will be exported to the National Grid An environmental permit sets the conditions which MVV Environment Ltd must meet when operating the proposed incinerator It covers the management and operation of the site and the control and monitoring of emissions Issues that we consider in deciding on the permit are:  The Environment Agency will consult with partner organisations operating hours and traffic management to and from it The Environment Agency can only consider issues covered by the environmental permit and can only refuse a permit application based on technical information in order to build and operate the proposed incinerator the company will need to be granted both planning permission and an environmental permit the company will need to show they are putting in place the necessary measures to meet current standards to protect human health and the environment they must explain how any risks that are identified alongside producing a Fire Prevention Plan the Environment Agency will review all the comments received before reaching a draft decision MVV Environment Ltd has the right to appeal if the permit is refused If the Environment Agency thinks it is likely to issue the permit it will consult again on the draft permit and draft decision document so you can comment on the conditions to be included in the permit If you wish to make comments about the application If you need help accessing this consultation in another format, or would like to be added to the mailing list for this application, please contact us by emailing: wessexenquiries@environment-agency.gov.uk   or call 03708 506506. Please use the application number EPR/SP3127SF/A001 when you contact us. Don’t include personal or financial information like your National Insurance number or credit card details. Win HappyPremiumSearch Rayogreatest hitsdorsetnewsCanford Heath fire this week 'largest since 2007'Investigations are continuing into the cause of Monday's blaze The scale of a fire on Dorset's Canford Heath earlier this week (Monday 10th March) has been revealed - as investigations continue into the cause The Dorset Heaths group has said the blaze 'quickly grew out of hand' That's the equivalent of 78 Olympic swimming pools and makes it the largest fire on Canford Heath since 2007 It's also just 0.4 hectares shy of the heathland affected by blazes in Dorset across the whole of last year with Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue investigators still assessing the site Hear all the latest news from across the UK on the hour, every hour, on Greatest Hits Radio on DAB, smartspeaker, at greatesthitsradio.co.uk, and on the Rayo app. Rayogreatest hitsdorsetnewsCanford Heath school opens two speech and language basesThey'll support children aged 4 to 11 with communication needs Two new bases have been opened at Canford Heath Infant and Junior School BCP Council's invested in the services that are now available for up to 35 children aged between 4 and 11 A dedicated speech and language therapist has been brought in to help children in their lessons It'll also give them a chance to interact with children in mainstream education too BCP Council portfolio holder for children and young people said: "Every child deserves the best chances to learn in life and so this is a very welcome day “It ensures our ambition to create sufficient special school places for children in BCP takes another step forward “The base means that more children with SLCN can be educated in their communities with their friends we are committed to ensuring we have sufficient schooling opportunities for all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities." Chief Executive Officer at TEACH Poole said: “This is more than just another opening of some bricks and mortar language and communication are the bedrock of learning social interaction and emotional well-being “These bases will have a long lasting and crucial impact on the lives of many move into adulthood being emotionally well socially skilled and able to communicate who they are to the world.” Company number 01176085; Bauer Radio Limited Company number: 1394141Registered office: Media House Peterborough PE2 6EA and H Bauer Publishing Company number: LP003328; Registered office: The Lantern London NW1 2PL All registered in England and Wales VAT no 918 5617 01H Bauer Publishing are authorised and regulated for credit broking by the FCA (Ref No: 845898) Fires on two open areas of Canford Heath overnight are believed to have been started deliberately Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service received its first call just after ten o’clock last night with crews from Poole, Redhill Park and Wimborne initially attending They quickly requested further support and Further crews attended from Wareham, Swanage, Sturminster Newton, Ferndown and Hamworthy Firefighters used compressed air foam and multiple hose reel jets to extinguish the fire Relief crews also attended from Bere Regis, Cranborne, Salisbury, Verwood and Blandford with remaining hotspots dampened down at three this morning using hose reel jets Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service said: “The cause is being investigated and believed to deliberate “Heath fires can occur at any time of year or time of day “If you have any information about this incident please contact the police or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.” Firefighters were working overnight to extinguish a wildfire at Upton Heath when they were called to a second wildfire at Canford Heath in Poole Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Local residents joined Extinction Rebellion (XR) Bournemouth Christchurch & Poole (BCP) and XR Wimborne who once again gathered outside Bournemouth’s Civic Centre to demonstrate against the building of waste incinerators in the area They are concerned about the detrimental effect of the proposed incinerators on local residents’ health the local environment and increased global warming Rick Larcombe, a resident from Canford, in explaining why they have again demonstrated outside the Civic Centre, quoted Dr Ian Williams, Environmental Science Professor from the University of Southampton, who has said: “The current practice of the burning of waste for energy and building more and more incinerators for this purpose is at odds with our desire to reduce greenhouse gas emissions” It is an “insane situation” and that “increasing its use is disastrous for our climate.” Steve Harper from XR BCP said this is supported by a BBC investigation that reported: “Burning household rubbish in incinerators to generate electricity is now the most polluting form of power generation in the UK Nearly half of the rubbish produced in UK homes “If the current government is serious about clean power by 2030 then we cannot allow ourselves to be locked into just burning waste” The protesters are requesting that BCP council heed these findings They say our local government should emulate Scotland and Wales who have already banned new incinerator plants because of environmental concerns The protestors also cite Shlomo Dowen, from the UK Without Incineration Network “There are already far too many waste incinerators across the UK meaning that most of what is burned is material that could and should have been recycled or composted” “For every tonne of plastic that is incinerated more than two tonnes of carbon dioxide are being released This is because the carbon in plastic combines with oxygen in the air making incineration a significant source of greenhouse gases” Mr Dowen further states that abandoning these schemes would free up funds to invest in the top tiers of the waste hierarchy including the creation of many new jobs in the repair Parley and Portland (three sites where incinerators are planned) are all internationally protected wildlife sites Dorset’s lowland heath is the largest surviving lowland heath in Europe Canford Heath is Dorset’s largest lowland heath and much of it is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and is also part of the Dorset Heathlands Special Protection Area.It is home to many rare species The proposed Parley incinerator is adjacent to a Dorset Heathland Special Protection Area Both of these are ecologically sensitive areas and would be subject to increased pollution through acid and nitrogen deposition The artificial enrichment of the soil at these sites would lead to them becoming unsuitable for the plants of lowland heaths As such the wildlife that relies on the heathland plants would diminish as the plants do.  Portland is a central part of the Jurassic Coast a World Heritage Site and is important for its geology and landforms The coastline and disused quarries are designated as SSSI’s Sea and migratory birds occupy the cliffs in different seasons Rare visitors to the surrounding seas include dolphins Chesil Beach is one of only two sites in Britain where the scaly cricket can be found; unlike any other cricket it is wingless and does not sing or hop “Building these incinerators would push us backwards in our efforts to reduce the worst impacts of climate change and will damage critically sensitive and polluting practice we should be prioritising reducing waste at source it should matter to our councillors as well!” Eco & Environment, Poole, Wimborne | Posted on February 24th, 2025 | return to news Oakley and Bearwood are urging people in Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole (BCP) to sign an online petition opposing plans for a waste incinerator to be built in Canford Magna is focused on monitoring BCP Council’s Local Plan and encouraging local residents to participate in BCP’s consultation Magwatch launched a petition calling on BCP’s Planning Committee (West) to refuse an application to build an incinerator at Canford Magna Among Magwatch’s objections are that an incinerator would produce harmful emissions contribute to climate change and cause more congestion on Magna Road Magwatch also claims the incinerator will ruin views of the local countryside due to the height of the facility’s chimney tower and buildings which will rival the height of Salisbury Cathedral Gerald Rigler from the Poole and Purbeck branch of Dorset CPRE said: “It is noted that the proposed chimney height of 110 metres competes strongly with the spire of Salisbury cathedral that achieves an amazing 123 metres “It is also noted that the proposal includes substantial structures (other than the tall chimney) that will loom over and dominate adjacent trees Available elevations of such structures depict them at about half the height of the chimney: obviously well above the height of existing trees on site including the tallest oak tree reported by the planning application as just 18 metres by letter dated 12th October 2023 – now in the public domain – we raised six points of objection and concluded by recommending that the relevant application (with its failures uncertainties and risks) should be refused; the elapse of time has not changed our perspective.” To sign the petition, you must live, work or study in the BCP area. The petition is active until 1 April Charity, Events & Entertainment, Poole | Posted on December 13th, 2024 | return to news Firefighters from Poole and Hamworthy will be taking their Santa’s Fire Sleigh to the Waterloo Estate on Monday 16 December starting at 5.45pm then onto Verity Crescent in Canford Heath at 7pm the fire sleigh will be making its way through the streets of the Turlin Moor in Hamworthy starting at 5.45pm They will then move to Carisbrooke Crescent for approximately 7pm Raising money for the Fire Fighters Charity Santa will be supported by on-call firefighters from both Poole and Hamworthy fire stations station manager for Poole and Hamworthy said: “We are delighted to be back this Christmas to take Santa through our local neighbourhoods again this year It gives us a great opportunity to engage with our community An Amber wildfire alert is to remain in place across Purbeck and Dorset as unseasonally low rainfall continues to increase the risk of wildfires due to dry conditions. Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service first issued the Amber alert on Saturday 29th March 2025 and within days there were a number of wildfires which broke out at Moors Valley Country Park near Ferndown, and along the trackside of the Swanage Railway. The wildfire at Moors Valley near Ferndown, destroyed several hectares of woodland The Amber wildfire alert, which has now been extended into April 2025, means any fire could spread quickly and easily due to the dry ground. The risk is greatest on large areas of open land, such as heathlands, fields and cliffsides. Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue area manager Ant Bholah said: “We have already had a number of devastating fires this year, including the on-going issues at Moors Valley and one at Canford Heath last month that destroyed more habitat than all the wildfire incidents we experienced in 2024. “While the glorious weather is very welcome, especially with the school holidays looming, it does mean the ground and foliage are dry, leading to a greater risk of fire spreading if something happens to cause ignition. “We would urge anyone going out and about in our beautiful countryside over the coming days to take extra care and be vigilant, follow our advice to bring a picnic not a barbecue, and avoid having campfires on heathland or in woodlands.” Firefighters from Dorset and Hampshire attended the Moors Valley incident including a crew from Swanage As this area of Moors Valley was being dampened down, another fire started elsewhere in the country park on Tuesday 1st April 2025 According to the Met Office, March 2025 was a very dry month, with below average rainfall for Purbeck. Across most of the southern half of England, only a fifth of the typical amount of rainfall was recorded in March 2025, with most weather stations in the area recording less than 10 mm of rainfall across the month, and less than 5 mm in the driest areas. “Persistent high pressure, along with a lack of fronts arriving from the west, has meant that many have enjoyed a warm, dry and very sunny March.” Spring sunshine on Swanage beach is very welcome but a prolonged lack of rain is bringing a risk of wildfires to the downs and cliffs With high pressure dominating the weather charts most areas will remain dry through the beginning of April 2025. While there’s still some uncertainty around how much rain will fall later into April, the drier-than-normal conditions are likely to continue until at least the middle of the month. There has barely been any rain in Swanage during March and the beginning of April 2025 Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service is advising landowners and land managers to be prepared for fires, where possible, and ensure that fire breaks are cut and well maintained, with any cut grasses and vegetation removed from the site We like to keep everything up-to-date, so if you know more, please help us by getting in touch Charity, Education, Poole | Posted on July 24th, 2024 | return to news Canford Heath Junior School held its first ever fun run on 19 July to support Julia’s House Children’s Hospice with schoolchildren raising over £2,000 for the charity Children were asked to run a distance of 1.5km or 5km and could wear fancy dress costumes teachers and staff braved high temperatures to complete the run across the school’s sports field and playground all while dressed up as colourful characters including Darth Vader Canford Heath Junior School will use the money raised to sponsor the creation of a giant mermaid tail as part of the charity’s Great Tail Trail which will see more than 40 sculptures displayed across Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole for eight weeks from 5 April to 1 June 2025 Headteacher Mark Wilson explained more about how the idea for a fun run came about He said: “We planned a bake sale that raised a good amount of money but then we were sent information about the tail trail and looked into it and then we came up with the idea of putting on another quick event this year the fun run grew from being a quick run around the field into this big event.” the school will get to display a tail next year Mark added: “We are now running a competition where the children are designing what they would like the tail to look like “Julia’s House is a really good local charity to raise money for.” The sponsored fun run was organised by Year 3 teacher Ellie Carne She said: “We didn’t expect it to be such a huge success We’ll definitely be doing it again next year Along with other fundraising activities held throughout the school year Canford Heath Junior raised over £3,000 for Julia’s House Journalism & News from Bournemouth University November 8, 2024 //  by  Mayor of Bournemouth shows support to protestors | Picture: Grace Oakins Demonstrators gathered outside Bournemouth Civic Centre in protest against a proposed waste incinerator in Canford Magna protested yesterday (Thursday 7 November) with organisations and residents of Canford to express their anger also joined protesters to express his opposition to the proposed incinerator More than 230 people have already expressed their concern to the local council Members of the public are concerned due to schools and housing estates being close by and the impact it could have on human health said she is “worried for their health as well as the wildlife”  Richard Larcombe was one of the campaigners at the demonstration a part of the Stop Parley and Canford Incinerators group The group includes campaigners who come together to stop proposed incinerators in the area working alongside United Kingdom Without Incineration Network (UKWIN) The incinerator would see up to 260,000 tonnes of waste burned each year “It’s a public health issue,” Richard Larcombe said “I’ve gone through it all and I’ve seen things getting worse.”  He believes the government need to embrace a circular economy – which involves reusing reducing and recycling existing materials and products for as long as possible the government has set an environmental target to halve residual waste by 2042 They have said this will help achieve their aim for zero avoidable waste by 2050 supporting their Net Zero Strategy for the near elimination of biodegradable waste to landfill by 2028 another member of the Stop Parley and Canford Incinerators group This is just going in the wrong direction” MVV Environment Ltd is the company looking to bring an incinerator to Canford Resource Park said they are not hiding from the carbon footprint incinerators produce For concerned locals the company “would invite them to come and see other facilities,” Ford said BCP Council officers have recommended that the incinerator be granted planning permission Another demonstration is scheduled to take place next month Copyright © 2025 Buzz · All Rights Reserved · Powered by Mai Theme Southwest and Countryside CorrespondentThursday April 03 2025 The TimesA devastating wildfire that destroyed more than 40 acres of precious heathland killing hundreds of protected lizards and unhatched chicks was caused by “either negligence or arson” On Wednesday night two fires broke out on heathland in Poole the first at Upton Heath shortly before midnight and the second at nearby Canford Heath The Upton Heath reserve is known for the rarity of its wildlife including the smooth snake and sand lizard while Canford Heath is a designated site of special scientific interest The damage at Upton Heath on Thursday morningMAX WILLCOCK/BNPSBrian Bleese the chief executive of Dorset Wildlife Trust which manages the internationally important Upton Heath nature reserve