Ilive on the pennine moors, and the heather on there is always burnt, {sometimes causing fires which can go on for weeks if it gets down into the peat}, but I wouldn,t think you would have this problem. Derek.

If this is old Calluna vulgaris that has been allowed to grow rank dig it up and ditch it and replace... it will take a while after pruning to look good and I certainly would not recommend burning heather on a domestic scale; the fire can get out of hand.