Marsh by three days of fire, Government's conservation officer said last night.

But David Wingate said a major study would also be launched to monitor the Marsh's recovery and some culling of non-native species would take place.

The Marsh suffered extensive damage when fire flared up on three days last week, beginning on Thursday.

At first Mr. Wingate thought the damage was not severe but after inspecting the Marsh following the third day of fire, he said it had caused a disaster.

Winds blew the flames in different directions every day, scorching huge areas of the Marsh.

"The fire went into an area that had not burned for more than 50 years and may have killed cedars and more mature vegetation that will take a long time to recover,'' he said.

The Marsh has a history of fires going back to 1914, killing the original forest cover which helped to stop burning.

However they did not usually reach the edges of the Marsh where some of the original vegetation such as cedars trees could be seen.

Marsh recovery will take years Mr. Wingate added: "The scale of the fire was a bit of a disaster. The wind blew the flames into areas that had not been affected before.'' Culling will involve getting rid of a few non-native species, such as the Laurel Indian tree, and the year-long study of how the Marsh recovers will start soon.

James Conyers of the Aquarium but who is also involved in the group Conservation Research and Investigative Studies for Island Species, has offered to carry out the study.

Devonshire Marsh is carved into several areas including a part owned by the National Trust, three areas owned by the Bermuda Audubon Society, a private industrial area and two nature reserves. It was the Audubon area that was hardest hit by the fire.

Any future long-term management plan for the area would entail getting all the organisations, plus Government, involved.

Mr. Wingate, who is the Audubon's president, said in the long term he would like to be able to produce a plan that would help stop fires for as long as 50 years.

Work would include widening mosquito control ditches to form water ponds and channels that could act as fire breaks.

"If we could suppress fires for 50 years the Marsh could develop into a forested area again and the fires would decline,'' said Mr. Wingate. "That would be a major long-term management plan.'' He added: "The Marsh will recover on its own, but this time we will monitor it scientifically with a little culling of non-native plants. The best way is to let nature have its way.'' DEVASTING BLAZE -- Firefighters battle the flames at Devonshire Marsh on Friday. The fires, which re-ignited for the third day on Saturday, are thought to have been disastrous for some parts of the Marsh, particularly the Audobon Society nature reserves.