Geograph - photograph every grid square

The previous day had seen a major fire on Shirley Hills.

On the hottest day on record, eight fire engines and crews had to brave 100+ degree temperatures whilst tackling a major fire on Shirley Hills (Addington Hills).

Heathland areas are dominated by heather and gorse, with some bilberry and goldenrod. Drier spots are indicated by the occurrence of bell heather. Burrowing bees and wasps occur in the bare patches of soil and the bushy heathers and acid-loving grasses provide home to a wide range of insects, spiders and other invertebrates, each well adapted to the warm, dry conditions at ground level. In open areas, common lizards and slow-worms thrive. It is these areas which were destroyed by the fire, but most of the woodland areas remained intact.

The following morning saw one crew still on site, damping down areas which were still showing signs of smouldering.