On Wednesday 14 June a significant fire caused serious damage to three hectares of reed habitat at our Dogsthorpe star Pit nature reserve. Firefighters attended that evening, having to negotiate an undulating tract, making emergency service access tricky. The eastbound A47 was shut to traffic due to smoke billowing across the carriageway.
It's hard to assess the full impact of damage and wildlife loss - nesting birds would have been in this area including species of warbler who chose to nest in this habitat. The Trust's Cambridgeshire Senior Reserves Manager Matt Hamilton said: "I’m horrified at the impact of this fire, with almost 10% of the reserve damaged. The reedbed at Dogsthorpe Star Pit regularly has breeding marsh harrier and bittern as well as numerous warblers and other bird, mammal and invertebrate species. Fortunately the marsh harriers weren't impacted in this fire, but we're still only in June and long dry summer months stretch ahead."
Our Trust will be looking at future nature reserve management in relation to climate change adaptation and the increased risks of fire events, especially during increasingly common, prolonged dry periods. At Dogsthorpe Star Pit likely changes will be to retain water levels in summer to keep areas wetter, along with specific vegetation management such as creating vegetation fire breaks to help reduce the spread of any fire. The future placement or retention of habitat piles and other cut vegetation will be reviewed to minimise both the opportunity for any deliberate fires to be started and the adverse consequences of future fires to wildlife and people. Plus it will be necessary to engage with local people and communities in Peterborough to highlight the risks and consequences of fires on nature reserves, promoting sensible and appropriate site use. The cause of the fire remains unknown, though this is a site which is subject to levels of anti social behaviour, so impossible to rule out deliberate intent.
The Met Office have detailed Fire Severity Index (FSI) maps for the whole of England and Wales, being promoted to woodland owners and highlighting the national extent of risk.
