From Ashes to Life: How Nature Bounces Back After Fierce Wildfires

A large fire recently broke out on land off The Moor in Fradley, Staffordshire, and it was believed to have been started deliberately. The fire left fields blackened and damaged, with smoke rising and the charred ground reaching right up to the boundaries of nearby houses. Grassfires can destroy healthy habitats in just a few hours, but the process of recovery is much slower and more complicated. These fires have swept through nature reserves, scenic spots, farmland, and open countryside, leaving conservationists and land managers with the tough job of restoring habitats and preventing further harm. Dan Brown, deputy chief executive of Birmingham & Black Country Wildlife Trust, explained that losing grasses, wildflowers, and trees to fire means losing the food plants that insects like butterflies and bees depend on. This loss affects birds and mammals as well, since they rely on those insects for food. Brown described the damage at Portway Hill as extensive, with the field in the nature reserve almost completely blackened. Last week, thirty firefighters worked to control a blaze in Oldbury, West Midlands, on land managed by the trust. The site was home to rare plants such as pyramidal and bee orchids, and a unique colony of marbled white butterflies that depended on common knapweed and red fescue. Brown said these plants are gone now, and it will take years to restore the meadow so the butterflies can return. Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service reported attending about 600 outdoor fires in July, which is double the number from the same month last year. Three of these fires occurred at Cannock Chase, a protected area of countryside, forest, and heathland, where animals like adders and toads were killed. Fifteen fire crews were sent to tackle the largest fire at Cannock Chase, and the smoke could be seen rising from the smouldering heathland. Jeff Sim, head of nature reserves at Staffordshire Wildlife Trust, said the fires had destroyed years of conservation work. He explained that fires can wipe out years of careful restoration in an instant, and it can take decades for land to recover, even with dedicated intervention. Many other parts of the West Midlands have also been affected, with nature reserves, farmers' fields, and parks going up in flames. Deliberate fires started in parks and beauty spots have grown out of control. Nationally, the situation is just as bleak. In Suffolk, a fire burned about 371 acres of lowland heath, and conservationists warned that the impact on wildlife and the landscape would last for years. The National Trust called it absolutely devastating. In Scotland, a fire burned about 10 square miles of moorland and forestry, damaging the RSPB's Loch Garten reserve at Abernethy, which is home to thousands of species. Insects, reptiles, trees, lichens, and mosses were killed. Restoration is possible, but slow. Brown said habitats can be restored by seeding meadows and planting trees, but this process takes a long time and must be managed carefully. Some conservation projects have made landscapes more resilient to fire. Planting native broadleaf trees creates cooler, shadier woodland that is less likely to ignite, and restoring rivers and wetlands helps keep the land damp. In the Peak District, sphagnum moss plants helped keep some ground wet and prevented severe damage when fire broke out in June. Dr Kate Ashbrook, a conservation ecologist, said the most important thing is to protect areas of unburnt habitat, as these contain surviving animals and plants. Wild Ken Hill in Norfolk, which was hit by a fire in 2022, shows that scorched areas can recover. Its founder, Dominic Buscall, said nature is remarkably resilient. Although some impacts take years to recover from, vegetation grew back quickly and wildlife steadily returned. However, Ashbrook said true ecological recovery depends on soil fungi returning, plants re-establishing, and invertebrate populations recovering, while the loss of mature woodland can take decades to reverse. For many people, the damage is closer to home. Weeks of hot weather have caused brown lawns, wilted plants, and cracked soil. Josh Cushing, owner of Goldstone Hall Hotel & Gardens in Shropshire, said grass is remarkably resilient and will not die because of a period of drought. Darren Rudge, a BBC radio broadcaster known as the Laughing Gardener, said lawns are asleep rather than dead, and the roots are alive. Climate change is making fires more common. Ashbrook said the frequency of grassfires is worrying because wildlife in the UK is already struggling. Conservationists believe that making the countryside more resilient can help, but Brown said people's behaviour is the biggest factor in reducing wildfire risk. He urged people not to light disposable barbecues or campfires in green spaces, avoid dropping lit cigarettes, and take litter home. Buscall said everyone has a role to play, as most wildfires are caused by human activity and are preventable. The burnt landscapes may look damaged now, but with time and changes in how we protect our countryside, recovery is possible.