A routine clean-up exercise led by conservationist David Wingate triggered an emergency response by the Bermuda Fire Service and Police.The marine section was called out around 7pm on Saturday to transport firefighters to an island nature reserve near Two Rock Passage after a fire got out of hand.Dr Wingate and volunteers from environmental group Groundswell had been working to clear Verrill Island of trash left by squatters several years ago.The island is a haven for Common Terns, endangered nesting seabirds.“These birds are extremely rare and in danger of dying out. They are a major species of concern to the Conservation Department,” said Dr Wingate. “They’re nesting on Verrill Island, which was covered with trash.“The fire was started in a decayed hut in the middle of the island that was full of trash and had remnants of squatters living there. The items left there were too bulky to take ashore which is why we decided to burn it.“We called the police, they put us on to the Fire Department. We explained that the island was isolated with no structures in danger if the fire got out of control, and they said okay.“We had enough volunteers there to watch it and to the best of our knowledge the fire was out when we left at the end of the day. When the winds increased that evening it must have fanned the flames up again.”Marine contractor Tim Patton and businessman Jim Butterfield helped supply a barge for the exercise, he added.“I would like to express gratitude and apologies that the police and Fire Department had to be alerted.“I also want to extend sincere gratitude to Mr Butterfield and Mr Patton, with their help we were able to leave the island in pristine condition.“They also transported the garbage collected from Darrell’s Wharf to Tynes Bay, and for that we are truly grateful. If there was any damage to the surrounding trees, they are an invasive species that we’re trying to control anyway,” he added.