Vehicle fire ignites wildfire on globally rare heathland in England's New Forest

A van fire on the A31 near Ringwood on August 9, 2026 spread into internationally protected lowland heathland — a habitat the New Forest National Park Authority calls "globally rarer than rainforest." Over 120 firefighters tackled the one-square-kilometre blaze. The authority had previously warned that climate change is increasing wildfire risks in southeast England's heathlands.