BORDON'S firefighters are asking the public to take care when walking on heathland after they were called to an undergrowth fire on the Longmoor Ranges on Bank Holiday Monday.
Conde Way sub officer John Pratt said the fire destroyed three hectares of gorse and undergrowth.
"That's about the size of four football pitches," he said.
The fire broke out at 1-30 pm and four appliances from Bordon, Petersfield, Liphook and Alton were sent to tackle the blaze at the Liss Forest end of the ranges.
They were joined by two Landrovers, one from Bordon and one from Petersfield, and the water carrier from the Conde Way fire station.
Firefighters tackled the blaze for more than an hour and finally brought it under control by 2-40 pm.
Heathland burnt was part of the internationally ecologically important Woolmer Forest.
It is home to significant breeding populations of woodlark, nightjar and Dartford Warbler, many butterfly and moth species, as well as the rare sand lizard.
Bordon's sub-officer warned that heathland fires could be started by walkers being careless with lighted cigarettes or by litter.
"It could be a broken bottle or it could be a shiny object which reflects the sun, or it could be a cigarette that someone has thrown away."
Sub-officer Pratt said it was the wildlife that suffered if heathland was burnt.
"The damage that it does is to the undergrowth, the environment and to nature."
The ground is beginning to dry out following heavy rain, said Mr Pratt, and people should be cautious and use their commonsense when out walking on heathland.
"If they are smoking they need to make sure sure that they extinguish any cigarettes. It's just common sense."
He said he was particularly concerned about small grass fires and heathland fires during dry weather.
"If it's going to be a dry summer, people should be more cautious while accessing public footpaths and common areas because there is an increased risk of fire.
"The public need to be vigilant."