Exeter nature lovers are urged to ‘grasp victory from the jaws of disaster’ amid a rally cry to help restore Mincinglake Valley Park after a wildfire destroyed 50 acres of heath.
Bees, butterflies and birds could be attracted back to a fire-hit city park as a local politicians launches a campaign to make it bloom again, writes local democracy reporter Guy Henderson.
Exeter’s Mincinglake Valley was at the centre of a major incident on Tuesday (August 11) when firefighters tackled a blaze which destroyed around 50 acres of parched grassland.
Firefighters from 20 stations across Devon and Somerset were tasked to tackle the wildfire.
Photo: Elsie Emery.
More than 20 fire crews were involved, and resources from 23 stations across Devon and Somerset were deployed to the park.
The wildflower campaign to restore fire-hit Mincinglake Valley Park is championed by Cllr Ed Hill. Image Ed Hill.
Pictured here is one of the fire engines tasked to tackle the wildfire which tore through Mincinglake Valley Park, in Exeter. Photo: Ed Hill.
Devon Wildlife Trust, which manages the park on behalf of the city council, said the flames had caused damage to fencing, benches and other site infrastructure. No livestock were on site at the time of the fire, and no housing was damaged.
No cause for the fire has been specified.
Smoke from the blaze could be seen for miles.
Photo: Karen Gordon.
Devon County Councillor Ed Hill (Ind, Pinhoe and Mincinglake) says he is looking for a local charity or community group to help turn the devastation into an opportunity to boost biodiversity and help wildlife return.
Firefighters say the blaze has destroyed 50 acres of grassland.
Photo: Chip Danger.
Native wildflower seed could be spread across parts of the affected area as it recovers.
Cllr Hill says he will support an application from an eligible local charity or community organisation for money from his County Councillor Locality Budget allocation to help pay for the wildflower seed.
Before the fire, said Cllr Hill, significant parts of the affected land were dominated by bramble and thorny vegetation. However, the recovery presents an opportunity to encourage a more diverse mixture of native flowering plants, benefiting bees, butterflies, other pollinators, birds and wildlife.
He added: “I want us to grasp victory from the jaws of disaster and create something positive from it.
“Rather than simply watching the area grow back exactly as it was, I would like to explore whether we can help nature recover with a more diverse array of native wildflowers.
“Imagine parts of the valley coming back next spring and summer filled with colour, bees, butterflies and birds. It would be something positive for wildlife and something the whole community could enjoy.
“Out of disaster can come sunshine.”
