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Fire survival: |
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j gaughan Senior Member Joined: 04 May 2003 No. of posts: 57  View other posts by j gaughan |
Posted: 30 May 2003 Visited two recently burnt Surrey sites yesterday at oppersite ends of the scale; firstly, Pirbright Ranges, where the whole 2,400 acres went up last month save a scattering of odd veg islands. It was encouraging to find 5 imm's, the new colonisers, on a heather-fringed, burnt hill overlooking the entire site. The other was 8 hectares of Frensham, from the day before, with firemen still damping down. We translocated 9 LV (incl 5 imm's) and a Pygmy Shrew from under burnt log piles _ only 2 dead AF males found. Depressing and rewarding at the same time. |
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Tony Phelps Forum Specialist Joined: 09 Mar 2003 No. of posts: 575 View other posts by Tony Phelps |
Posted: 30 May 2003 We are holding our breath here in Dorset during this hot spell. (half-term and bored kids) I try and monitor postfire sites in my area. Strange how some recover (habitat) faster than others. It is also amazing how some animals survive, i.e. the number of snakes and sand lizards that one finds with burn scars. It also remains a fact that there has still, despite the best efforts of all concerned, no successful prosecution for heathland arson. The CPS will just not give it priority. I always thought that arson was a serious offence. Also someone, probably a child, will get seriously injured one day, and then something might get done.
Tony |
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j gaughan Senior Member Joined: 04 May 2003 No. of posts: 57 View other posts by j gaughan |
Posted: 09 Jun 2003 the 'frensham' fire reported above was 'not' actually on that common, but on nearby heathland. june 4th : with a pair of carrion crows picking over the area, moved 14 LV (incl 2 imms) & 2 TH; also met the ranger who was there until 8 pm the previous night 'still damping down' smouldering peat in the trees, where it's believed children started it _the fire being 1st reported 26th may; he had a dead CA ad. earlier in the week and on a positive note, a living one turned up the day before (h. inns). with 'pirbright's' biggest 'total' burn for 25 yrs, we were really pleased to hear that it missed a peripheral area of 30 plus yr old habitat, already tinned for CA, which we hope is an outpost for this historic site _time will tell |
- Fire survival |