Dunwich Heath and Beach

Dunwich Heath's lowland heath is a nationally important habitat and one of the rarest in the UK. It supports a wealth of specialist wildlife, including nightjars, skylarks, Dartford warblers, adders, lizards, slow-worms and the rare silver-studded blue butterfly. 

Recently, the heath had shown remarkable signs of recovery. Thanks to the efforts of local staff and volunteers - heather was returning, specialist moth populations were increasing, and Dartford warbler numbers had recovered close to pre-2022 drought levels. 

Tragically, all of this hard work was lost on 29 July when a wildfire swept across the heath, devastating the landscape and the wildlife that depends on it.

At its peak, 20 pumps and 120 firefighters were in attendance. All 35 fire and rescue stations across Suffolk were involved, as well as 18 fire services from across the country. More than 600 firefighters were involved over the course of the incident, supported by over 150 people from 29 organisations. The major incident lasted 13 days before being scaled down.