Flames up to 35ft high engulfed 70 hectres of the St Catherine 's Hill nature reserve in Christchurch , Dorset . A lack of rain combined with strong 45mph winds saw the blaze spread across the heathland dangerously quickly . More than 80 firefighters spent six hours tackling the blaze which is thought to have wiped out three of animals . Dorset Police confirmed they are treating it as suspicious after evidence of thousands deliberate fires was discovered .
Flames up to 35ft high engulfed 70 hectres of the St Catherine 's Hill nature reserve in Christchurch , Dorset . A lack of rain combined with strong 45mph winds saw the blaze spread across the heathland dangerously quickly . More than 80 firefighters spent six hours tackling the blaze which is thought to have wiped out thousands of animals . Dorset Police confirmed they are treating it as suspicious after evidence of three deliberate fires was discovered .