CONCERNED Sheepstor residents are calling for fire breaks to be created in adjacent woodland, after their homes were threatened by a major gorse fire last week.

Burrator Parish Council want clearings to be introduced to the forest around the reservoir to help prevent the spread of flames in the event of future fires.

They have put their request in writing to South West Lakes Trust, which manages the forest ? known as Beechcroft and Narator Plantations ? on behalf of South West Water.

The plea comes after a huge gorse fire tore across Dartmoor from Holne Ridge, near Buckfast, last Wednesday (April 23), putting homes in Sheepstor and the surrounding area at risk.

The massive blaze caused around £35,000 of damage to land and livestock, requiring 33 fire appliances and more than 60 firefighters to control it.

Keith Scrivener, vice-chairman of Burrator Parish Council, said: ?We had a meeting the day after the fire, and we all agreed there is a real threat posed to the Burrator plantations and Sheepstor where I live.

?The forest comes right up to some properties, and this is the second time we have seen the danger of fire spreading through it. We think the trust should put some fire breaks in the forest.?

The council is awaiting a response from the trust.

Meanwhile, police are appealing for help with their continuing investigations into the cause of last Wednesday?s gorse fire, which started at around 9.20am.

They are particularly interested in two males who were seen on a quad bike on Skir Hill almost two hours after the fire was first reported.

PC Steve Bradfield, of Tavistock police, urged the pair to come forward so they can be eliminated from enquiries.

PC Bradfield added: ?This was an extremely savage fire, which caused a great deal of damage and killed a lot of livestock. We are taking our investigation very seriously, and would like to hear from anyone who thinks they may know something about how it started.?

The long-term environmental effects of the fire, considered the most serious moorland blaze for many years, are still being assessed.

John Weir, press officer for the DNPA, said it was ?tragic?.

He said: ?The whole area is a Site of Special Scientific Interest and carries the designation SAC ? a Special Area of Conservation, which is an EU designation.

?It was also entered into an Environmentally Sensitive Area scheme six months ago ? as a piece of moor it had a lot going for it,?

It was assumed a number of ground nesting birds would have been adversely affected. Some would have perished, some displaced, but some may return. Larger mammals would also tend to be displaced, said Mr Weir.

?It is very worrying. The ESA scheme will have to be revisited to see what can be done. It is bound to have a serious knock-on effect,? he said.

The DNPA and English Nature will be carrying out a more detailed study into the effects of the fire.

?At this stage it is difficult to estimate the full recovery period. It depends how deeply the fire burned, but five years seems likely,? he said.

l Anyone with information on the fire should call PC Bradfield on 08705 777444.