TREASURED historic green spaces are under increasing threat from climate extremes, a report warned today as firefighters entered their third day tackling a New Forest blaze.

The National Lottery Heritage Fund and Historic England warned that historic parks, gardens and cemeteries across the country are vulnerable to damage from harsher, more widespread drought, intense rainfall, more severe storms and pests which can thrive in warmer conditions.

These impacts, driven by climate change — which is mostly caused by burning fossil fuels for power plants, cars, heating and industry — are affecting all aspects of these heritage landscapes, from trees and plant collections to paths, terraces and lakes.

The report says historic parks and gardens, including Chiswick House and Gardens, Kew and the Royal Parks in London, and Princes Street Gardens in Edinburgh, employ more than 32,000 people and contribute £2.9 billion to Britain’s economy each year from international visitors alone.

Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service, meanwhile, said that it is “managing to contain” the blaze after working “tirelessly” through the night.

The service, assisted by neighbouring services, initially scrambled 26 fire engines and four water carriers to the eastbound A31 after receiving 160 emergency calls reporting a van had caught fire on Sunday evening.

The fire service said the blaze spread from the vehicle to the central reservation before progressing into nearby heathland in a south-easterly direction towards Backley Bottom, and is in a “challenging rural location.”

An update released today by the fire service said a change in wind direction had “provided a challenge” overnight but it was managing to prevent “spread and escalation” with the help of a police drone to prioritise hotspots and flare-ups.