EMERGENCY services were called to a fire in Wareham Forest yesterday afternoon

At 4.42pm, Bere Regis Fire Station's Land Rover was despatched to Sherford Bridge and extinguished the remains of a camp fire.

The incident follows a spell of hot, dry weather which puts heathland and forests at a greater risk of fire.

Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service are encouraging people to be vigilant whilst enjoying the summer weather.

Group Manager Brad Stevens said: “With the recent spell of hot, dry weather and the longer summer days, fires in woodland, open spaces and on heath can spread really quickly.

"We know that people will want to be out and about, enjoying the sunshine, so we ask everyone to avoid having campfires, and to take a picnic rather than use a disposable barbecue.

"Please also be vigilant to the risk of fire, and call 999 immediately if you see a fire taking hold.”

A spokesperson for Bere Regis Fire Station said: "(Yesterday) afternoon our Land Rover was called to Sherford Bridge in Wareham Forest to a report of a small fire in the open.

"After a search we were able to locate the remains of a camp fire, which was still smouldering, well off the track.

"We extinguished the fire with our hose reel jet and dug around the fire area allow the water to get deep into the soil to reach any deep seated pockets of heat and to make sure there was no possibility of it spreading."