| The Flashes | |
|---|---|
 | |
 Interactive map of The Flashes | |
| Type | Local Nature Reserve |
| Location | Godalming, Surrey |
| OS grid | SU 863 397 |
| Area | 115.1 hectares (284 acres) |
| Managed by | Waverley Borough Council |
The Flashes is a 115.1-hectare (284-acre) Local Nature Reserve west of Godalming in Surrey. It is owned by the National Trust and managed by Waverley Borough Council.[1][2] It is part of Thursley, Hankley and Frensham Commons Sites of Special Scientific Interest,[3] Thursley, Ash, Pirbright & Chobham Special Area of Conservation[4] and Thursley, Hankley & Frensham Commons Special Protection Area,[5]
Most of The Flashes is a river valley mire with purple moor-grass, cross-leaved heath, common cottongrass, heather, rushes and sphagnum mosses. Part of the site is covered with peat.[1]
There is access from Sandy Lane.
A forest fire which broke out on The Flashes on 5 May 1995 burned 3 square miles (7.8 km2) of land and trees over the course of six hours and destroyed a Surrey Fire Brigade fire engine worth £140,000 (equivalent to £340,000 in 2023). Twelve fire engines and over 80 firefighters from Surrey and two neighbouring counties, as well as a group of nearby campers, helped bring the fire under control by eleven o'clock in the evening.[6][7]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "The Flashes". Local Nature Reserves. Natural England. Retrieved 24 November 2018.
- ^ "Map of The Flashes". Local Nature Reserves. Natural England. Retrieved 24 November 2018.
- ^ "Designated Sites View: Thursley, Hankley & Frensham Commons". Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Retrieved 14 November 2018.
- ^ "Designated Sites View: Thursley, Ash, Pirbright & Chobham". Special Areas of Conservation. Natural England. Retrieved 28 September 2018.
- ^ "Designated Sites View: Thursley, Hankley & Frensham Commons". Special Protection Areas. Natural England. Retrieved 28 October 2018.
- ^ "Raging forest blaze destroys fire engine". Leicester Mercury. 6 May 1995. p. 8. Retrieved 27 December 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Harnden, Toby (6 May 1995). "Fire engine destroyed in heath blaze". The Daily Telegraph. London. p. 1. Retrieved 27 December 2025 – via Newspapers.com.