Large scale fire devastates nature reserve
Fire broke out on Coatham Marsh Nature Reserve. Train services had to be cancelled, and thick smoke covered the local area with large areas of grassland and reedbed habitat damaged
Staff at Coatham Marsh Nature Reserve have been left shocked and deeply concerned at the latest incident in an alarming increase in fires on nature reserves and other countryside sites within the Tees Valley region. They say there’s strong reason to believe that this fire was started deliberately.
In a press release today, the team said: “As a charity dedicated to nature, we are appalled by these criminal acts of destruction and are committed to working with local authorities and communities to support us in preventing such incidents from occurring in the future. The consequences of these actions are far-reaching and devastating, not only for the wildlife that calls these reserves home but also for the local communities that enjoy having nature on their doorstep, our volunteers who give their time to protect nature, and our staff team.”
Tom Harman, CEO for Tees Valley Wildlife added:
“The increase in fires on nature reserves is shocking. The impact to wildlife will be extensive, with ground nesting birds and their young unable to escape the flames. Deliberate fires on nature reserve need be treated as the wildlife crimes they are. We welcome any support from local leaders and encourage them to step forward and help tackle these issues together.”
They are urging anyone with information regarding this fire or any other similar incidents to come forward and report it to the police.
“We are living in a climate and nature crisis, and it is imperative that those responsible for acts of wildlife crime are held accountable.”
The charity thanked the dedicated fire and police officers for their tireless efforts in tackling yesterday’s fire and for the community who have helped report incidents and provide information.