Dartford wildfire: Blaze reaches motorway as UK temperatures hit record high

Dramatic footage shows the Dartford wildfire encroaching on motorists on the A2.

The blaze spread across grass close to the road and is believed to have destroyed a number of houses in its path.

Temperatures have topped 40C in the UK for the first time ever on Tuesday (19 July), and the sweltering heat fuelled other fires that led to London Fire Brigade declaring a major incident.

A new record for the hottest day ever seen, of 40.3C, was provisionally recorded in Coningsby, Lincolnshire, beating the previous record of 38.7C in 2019.

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