FIREFIGHTERS were called to tackle a “devastating” wildfire which hit internationally protected heathland in the New Forest National Park today.

The blaze started after a vehicle caught fire on the nearby A31 hitting the area, which the park authority said was “rarer than rainforests.”

More than 160 emergency calls were made to the Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service, reporting a vehicle on fire on the eastbound A31 near Ringwood on Sunday evening.

Flames spread from the car to the central reservation before moving into the nearby heathland, the fire service said.

A New Forest National Park Authority spokeswoman said: “It’s rare heathland which globally is more rare than rainforest with lots of rare species.

“We have the highest concentration of lowland heathland in western Europe and it’s internationally protected. It is home to all six UK native reptiles, Dartford warblers, nightjars, insects — it’s devastating.”

She added that it was still too early to evaluate the level of damage until the fire was fully brought under control.

Firefighters “will remain on site for the foreseeable future”, the fire service said, adding that crews were still working “to bring the fire under control.”

It later added: “The smoke, which was clearly visible across the area and from both sides of the Solent today, has reduced significantly.

“We currently have 10 fire engines and 10 off-road vehicles at the scene, with crews continuing to work in challenging conditions.”

It came as a number of wildfires have broken out in Britain over recent weeks, including at Dunwich Heath in Suffolk, Headon Warren on the Isle of Wight, Llanwonno in the Rhondda Valleys, South Wales, and the Cairngorms National Park in Scotland.