Police are hunting arsonists who are believed to have started six heath fires in four days, as the latest one comes within feet of homes and a school.
Last night firefighters were forced to battle a 100ft wall of flames on the sensitive heathland in Poole, Dorset, after receiving 31 calls at around 7.30pm regarding the blaze which covered five acres of ground.
Fire services believe the blaze was started deliberately because the amount of rain the area has had recently means the ground is very saturated.
Responders from Poole, Wimborne, Westbourne and Redhill Park attended the incident close to Corfe Hills School in Broadstone and extinguished the fire by 8:59pm.