Heatwave sparks fire warnings across South West

The summer's fourth UK heatwave has sparked fire warnings across Devon and Cornwall.

Dartmoor National Park Authority warned people not to use barbecues or light fires to avoid putting "lives, property and nature at risk".

Ella Briens, Dartmoor's deputy head ranger, said people should take rubbish home, including glass as it could "easily cause a fire if left out in the sun".

On Tuesday, fire crews were called to a fire in a field and woodland near Bovey Tracey, Devon. The fire service said two fields and some hedgerows were destroyed by the blaze, which was not thought be deliberate.

Firefighters left the scene at 22:00 BST after using water from a local reservoir to help put the fire out, Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service said.

One crew returned on Wednesday morning to check the site for any remaining hotspots.

Ollie Brandon, a recreational ranger at Cardinham Woods, near Bodmin, said the heatwave brought many "challenges" for his team.

He said the woods were a "lovely place to cool off" in the hot weather, but people should "visit responsibly and leave your barbecues at home".

"It's not just the temperature and the ground conditions, but it's also the wind because that can really help wildfire spread over a large area in a short space of time," he said.

There have been more than 500 wildfires across England and Wales so far this year, the National Fire Chiefs Council said.

Follow BBC Cornwall on X, Facebook and Instagram. Follow BBC Devon on X, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected].