Hundreds of holidaymakers have been moved to safety as fire crews continue to fight major wildfires in Suffolk and London.
A major incident was declared after a “large-scale, wind-driven” fire erupted on Dunwich Heath, on the Suffolk coast, at about 5.30pm yesterday and continued to burn into this morning.
Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service said crews were working intensively to protect nearby seaside holiday homes, with around 200 caravans evacuated overnight as the flames spread.
About 48 people, among them families with babies and dogs, are currently taking refuge at Westleton Village Hall after being urgently evacuated from their accommodation at around 11.30pm.
Holidaymaker Justin North described a “kind of blitz spirit” among those forced to leave, saying evacuees were simply “happy to be safe and out”.
In east London, around 120 firefighters were also called in yesterday to tackle two significant grass fires.
One blaze in Romford tore through roughly 30 acres of grassland, while a separate fire in Rainham damaged around ten acres.
The fires come as Britain remains on high alert for “exceptionally severe” wildfires, with weeks of hot weather leaving parts of the country dangerously dry.
Around half of England has been placed in drought. Some areas have not seen rain in 43 days and temperatures soared again to 34C yesterday.
A 50-year drought record from the long, hot summer of 1976 is now on the brink of being beaten.
Amid the rising temperatures, supermarkets have resorted to rolling out Mediterranean-style fridges – with Waitrose buying up new equipment that can withstand outdoor temperatures of up to 48C.
The blaze on Dunwich Heath, which began at around 5.30pm yesterday, is spreading rapidly in the direction of Sizewell B nuclear power station, which is about 2.5 miles away
Fire crews are seen battling a fire in Romford, east London, yesterday where around 30 acres of grassland were destroyed
Fire crews tackle a blaze in London yesterday after temperatures reached 34C
In Suffolk, people have been urged to avoid the area and to keep their windows and doors closed due to the smoke.
Suffolk Fire and Rescue has declared the blaze a major incident ‘due to the size and complexity’.
It began in heathland near the Coastguard Cottages, which are National Trust properties on the Suffolk coastline and is now spreading in the direction of Sizewell B nuclear power station, about 2.5 miles away.
Although the fire is heading in the direction of the site, which is Britain’s largest nuclear power station, it is not believed to be a threat to its operation.
Dan Davis from Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service said: ‘Crews from Leiston attended the scene and were met with what is a large-scale, wind- driven forestry fire.’
‘The incident has subsequently been upgraded to a major incident.
‘We currently have approximately 90 firefighters on scene working incredibly hard in arduous conditions to bring this fire under control.’
Grass in Blackheath, south-east London, has turned entirely brown
Blackened hillsides show the devastating aftermath of the wildfire surrounding Blaenavon, Torfaen in Wales
Weeks of minimal rain and the second hottest month on record in the UK has left the fields severely parched
Mr Davis added: ‘I’d like to provide reassurance that we are going to remain on scene until we bring this fire under control.’
Dunwich Heath, which has been managed by the National Trust for more than half a century, is a vital breeding ground for rare birds including the Dartford Warbler, Woodlark, Nightjar and stone curlew.
Neighbouring RSPB Minsmere nature reserve is believed to have been ploughing a fire break last night around Mount Pleasant Farm, north west of where the fire broke out.
Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service have been called out to 89 wildfires so far this month, an increase of 28 incidents on July last year.
Tristan Gale, the Suffolk county councillor responsible for the fire service, revealed that by mid-July crews had responded to 162 fires in the open, with 71 occurring within one week.
Many were preventable, he said.
Jon Lacey, Suffolk Fire Service’s chief fire officer, warned of the ‘combination of hot weather and dry conditions creating the ideal environment for fires to start and spread quickly’.
Crews had ‘already demonstrated their ability to deal with large and complex incidents this summer’, he said.
But he added: ‘The public remains our most important partner in preventing these fires from happening in the first place.’
Measures have already been put in place by the authorities to reduce the risk of fires in the county.
Babergh District Council has brought forward the seasonal cutting of wildflower meadows in East Bergholt to reduce the risk of field fires after a blaze destroyed 80 hectares of cut straw, hedgerows and trees.
Farmers have also been creating fire breaks.
People gather on the brown grass at the very dry Primrose Hill as heatwaves continue
Empty deckchairs on dry grass at Green Park in London
The fires in London and Suffolk come after the UK Health Security Agency issued an amber heat-health alert for large swathes of the country.
The alert remains in place until 9am on Thursday, with the agency previously warning that rising temperatures may increase health risks, particularly for vulnerable groups.
The increased heat has led to fears and warnings that wildfires could ‘spread rapidly’ with southern and eastern parts of England’s already bone-dry landscapes particularly at risk.
Helen Wakeham, director of water at the Environment Agency and chair of the National Drought Group, said: ‘The hot and dry weather means we are currently using water faster than nature can replenish it.
‘A second consecutive summer drought is an exceptionally serious situation and one that will have long-lasting impacts on our environment, wildlife and the economy.’
The Met Office assessment showed any fires could be ‘exceptionally severe’ by Wednesday if they start in parts of London, the South East and eastern England.
Fire services in England and Wales have so far responded to 706 wildfires in 2026, with more than 200 recorded in the last two weeks, the National Fire Chiefs Council said.
Eight wildfires are currently burning and ‘being monitored’ across the UK, with fire chiefs warning that there remains an ‘elevated risk’ of more igniting.
Separately, in Scotland, crews said they were making ‘significant progress’ tackling a wildfire in the Cairngorms that broke out two weeks ago.
A number of homes in the remote region were evacuated as plumes of smoke billowed into the sky, and vast swathes of trees, heather and grasslands have been left charred and blackened.
Speaking on the track on Wednesday, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service deputy assistant chief officer Michael Humphreys told the Press Association that fire crews are making progress in tackling the blaze.
However, he warned the risk of flare-ups remains high.
‘It’s been an absolutely devastating fire for wildlife and for the local community who have come out in force to really support us, which we really do appreciate,’ he said.
‘To control this fire, what we’ve had to put in place is a significant number of fire breaks.’
