Editing Chobham Common (section)

==Fire==
[[Fire]]s occurred fairly regularly during the 1950s and 1960s and the whole of Chobham Common was seriously damaged by major fires in the early and mid-1970s which caused the loss of the smooth [[snake]] (''[[Coronella austriaca]]'') and [[sand lizard]] from the site and allowed extensive areas of [[Purple Moor Grass|purple moor grass]] and [[bracken]] to establish. Since 1976, a network of fire tracks and [[firebreak]]s has been created and progressively upgraded. Since 1990 [[Park ranger|ranger]]s and volunteers have [[fire]] watched during periods of high risk and in 2006 the [[Park ranger|ranger]]s were equipped with a fire fighting system. These measures together with close liaison with the Surrey Fire Service have served to reduce both the frequency and scale of fires on the site.

The major utilities that cross Chobham Common were constructed during the 1950s and early 1960s. The [[M3 motorway (Great Britain)|M3 motorway]] was completed in 1974 cutting the site in half. Some attempts were made at mitigation work at the time, but with hindsight they were both inappropriate and inadequate and large blocks of [[gorse]] (Ulex europeaus) developed in the zone of disturbance on either side of the [[motorway]] creating further fragmentation of the site and causing serious fire risks. Following serious fires in 2001 and 2002 the Department for Transport provided funding for clearance of the [[gorse]] in the zone of disturbance and this area is mown annually to suppress any [[gorse]] regrowth.

Strong summer heat can occur to dry out the long grass, shrubs and trees of acidic [[heath]] soil. When a fire breaks out, [[Surrey Fire and Rescue Service]] (in the case of the major May 2010 fire attracting rubbernecking, [[Surrey Police]] and Hampshire Fire and Rescue assisted) extinguish it in a range of vehicles and teams.

In August 2020, a fire on the common spread to the [[golf]] course at the [[Wentworth Club]] causing the abandonment of the final event of the [[Rose Ladies Series]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.skysports.com/golf/news/12176/12044904/wentworth-fire-rose-ladies-series-grand-final-cancelled |title=Wentworth Fire: Rose Ladies Series Grand Final cancelled |date=8 August 2020 |website=Sky Sports}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nationalclubgolfer.com/news/justin-rose-ladies-series/ |title=Hull wins Rose Ladies Series after Grand Final cancelled due to wildfire |date=8 August 2020 |website=National Club Golfer |first=Alex |last=Perry}}</ref>