A FIRE chief has pleaded with heath arsonists to think about what they are doing.

It comes after another major fire, this time at Bourne Bottom in Poole, as reported in Saturday’s Daily Echo.

An area 200m by 200m was destroyed and flames came within metres of homes in Evering Avenue. Firefighters were called back on Saturday morning to dampen down hot spots.

As with blazes at Canford Heath and Ham Common last week, the cause was thought to be deliberate.

Station manager Stuart Jeneson, who was commanding Friday night’s incident, said: “Unfortunately this is something that happens far too regularly.

“Each time it happens it’s putting our resources to massive stress. It means reduced cover for anything more serious and these crews are getting tired and my concern is for their welfare.

“The fire was spreading rapidly towards houses in Evering Avenue and they were at great risk.”

He praised crews for dealing with the blaze quickly and keeping it away from homes.

“Occasionally it’s wreckless disposal of cigarettes, but we’re finding more and more that it’s deliberate fire setting and it’s killing wildlife and disfiguring Dorset,” he added.

Wildlife again perished at Bourne Bottom as it had done at Canford Heath and Ham Common.

Jez Martin, Borough of Poole nature conservation officer said: “I’ve been walking around and without trying have found dead slow worms and common lizards.

“It’s not as bad as Canford Heath, but only because this burnt a few years ago, so there was not so much gorse here. It’s worrying.”

Also on Friday, firefighters were called back to Ham Common, where heath was set alight last Wednesday, after hot spots re-ignited.

Watch manager Stuart Gillion, who was at the scene, said: “Fires of the intensity that we had on Wednesday create intense heat and the ground pulls that heat in.

“It finds some heath that has not ignited and it will catch light again.”

He said the ground could keep heat at dangerous levels for a week or even two in hot weather.