Firefighters battle series of blazes across country

FIRES have broken out across the nation amid tinder-dry conditions and unprecedented heat.

Official droughts have been declared in eight areas of southern and central England, and several grasslands have caught alight in these zones and beyond during the driest summer in half a century.

Five fire engines and about 35 firefighters have been tackling a two-hectare grass fire on Whipps Cross Road in Leytonstone, Waltham Forest. London Fire Brigade crews have been captured beating back the flames at the blaze at the Leyton Flats wildlife reserve in east London.

The service has also warned of a blaze in Merton, where four engines and about 25 firefighters have been deployed. In Derbyshire, emergency services warned they were tackling three “significant” blazes, a railway embankment at Matlock, an open fire in Clowne and another embankment blaze near Junction 26 of the M1.

South west of London, fire crews worked overnight to tackle a blaze involving 800 tonnes of straw which had destroyed a farmer’s field in Overton, near Basingstoke.

Hampshire and the Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service also said a woodland area caught alight in Beaulieu, in the New Forest National Park, caused by a campfire or barbecue.

Conditions have been described as “absolutely tinderbox dry”. But the National Fire Chiefs Council, said wildfires were “likely” but brigades were “well prepared and have plans in place” to respond.

Yui Mok/PA wire Fiefighters battle a grass fire on Leyton flats in London