Rare animals threatened as wildfire ravages New Forest heathland

More than 120 firefighters tackling blaze which started on Sunday after a van caught fire near habitat ‘more rare than rainforest’

More than 120 firefighters are tackling a “devastating” blaze on internationally protected heathland in the New Forest.

The area hit by the blaze, which started after a van caught fire on the A31 near Ringwood on Sunday, is protected heathland that is home to a number of rare species, according to the New Forest national park authority.