Monitoring of Holt Heath recovery after last year’s wildfire to offer lessons for heathlands nationwide - National Trust

One year after a devastating wildfire swept through Holt Heath National Nature Reserve in Dorset, National Trust staff and conservation partners are preparing for the next stage of the site's recovery.

The blaze burnt around 72 hectares (177 acres) - or over 100 football pitches - of nationally important heathland habitat and remains one of the most significant wildfire incidents experienced in the area in recent decades. And, despite some level of recovery across around 30% of the site, a significant area is yet to show any sign of recovery – still charred and scarred earth - highlighting the devastating impacts fire can have on our landscapes and wildlife.

The on-going heat and dry conditions are also hampering its recovery and last week the Environment Agency declared half of England and all of Wales to be officially in drought conditions.

Over the past year, conservation teams have monitored the heath to understand how the landscape would respond naturally before making decisions about future restoration. This data will also help inform the recovery of other similar landscapes devastated by fire – including Dunwich Heath – where 104 hectares of lowland heath was lost in a major fire last week.