Smoke billows from Dartford wildfire as UK records hottest ever temperature

Houses caught fire in Dartford on Tuesday, 19 July, after a huge grassfire broke out near a motorway.

Startling footage captures smoke billowing from the fire. [CAN CHANGE TO REFLECT VIDEO]

The UK recorded its hottest temperature in history on Tuesday, with temperatures topping 40C, at Heathrow Airport a reading of 40.2C (104.36F) was recorded.

London mayor Sadiq Khan said that London Fire Brigade had declared a major incident “in response to a huge surge in fires across the capital today.”

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