Massive fires are breaking out across southern England, as the UK records its highest ever temperature surpass 40 degrees Celsius.
Flames are scorching the tinder-dry earth in Wennington in Essex.
The blaze began on grassland but has since spread to homes.
Smoke is billowing across the M25 and being described as 'immense' and 'chaos' by witnesses.
"This is due to climate change" says Lord Turner, Senior fellow at the Institute for New Economic Thinking - adding "we have been warned about this, there's nothing surprising about this".https://t.co/ZAkJY3IZH8
📺 Sky 501, Virgin 602, Freeview 233 and YouTube pic.twitter.com/7XF0Q0WfUO— Sky News (@SkyNews) July 19, 2022
According to London Ambulance Service the grass fire in Upminster is now under control.
Approximately 15 hectares of a cornfield and some scrub-land was alight.
Around 200 people were evacuated from a nearby caravan site.
They have reported taking 400 calls an hour, because of the heatwave today.
We've got 15 fire engines and around 100 firefighters dealing with this blaze on The Green in #Wennington https://t.co/21EzWA9bEH
— London Fire Brigade (@LondonFire) July 19, 2022
Meanwhile, disruption is continuing across Britain's transport network.
Trains that are still running, are going slowly.
There are currently no trains in and out of London's King's Cross due to the heat.
40.3 degrees Celsius is the top temperature recorded in Coningsby in Lincolnshire today.
Photo: London Fire Brigade Twitter
