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Almost 25,000 wildfires fought in England during summer

Ben Jane A large plume of smoke from the Studland fire as seen from a ferry in Poole harbourBen Jane
At its peak 90 firefighters fought the blaze on the Studland peninsula in Dorset

Fire services in England dealt with nearly 25,000 wildfires this summer, almost four times that recorded over the same period in 2021, figures show.

Some forces tackled more than 50 wildfires a day amid droughts and record-breaking temperatures of more than 40C.

More than 800 wildfires were recorded on 19 July alone.

The parched land saw many areas succumb to fires including London, Yorkshire, Dorset, Hampshire and Norfolk.

Fire swept through the village of Ashill, near Swaffham in Norfolk, in July

A sequence of heatwaves led to England experiencing its driest July since 1935 and the joint-warmest summer on record.

At least 24,316 wildfires were recorded by fire services in England from June to August, according to data obtained through Freedom of Information requests by the Press Association (PA).

It represents almost four times the 6,213 wildfires over the same three-month period in 2021 and two-and-a-half times the 9,369 for June-August 2020.

Andrew Turner/BBC A destroyed home in Ashmanhaugh, NorfolkAndrew Turner/BBC
Homes in Ashmanhaugh, Norfolk, were destroyed by a wildfire in the summer

The figures are the highest for the period in at least a decade, PA said.

The true number is also likely to be higher as five of the 44 fire services in England did not supply data

There was a surge in wildfires, particularly on 19 and 20 July when major blazes were reported in Clayton and Barnsley in South Yorkshire, Ashmanhaugh in Norfolk, Hankley Common in Surrey and the Dartford Marshes in Kent.

One of the most devastating fires hit 40 hectares (99 acres) of grassland at Wennington in east London, destroying homes, outbuildings, garages, stables and cars.

Getty Images An aerial shot of the aftermath of the fire in WenningtonGetty Images
The Wennington wildfire destroyed homes on the outskirts of east London

A spell of blistering heat in mid-August saw wildfires in locations as far apart as Yorkshire, Northamptonshire, Dorset, Essex and Devon.

A spokesperson for the London Fire Brigade said: "The grass fires are an example of how we are increasingly being challenged by new extremes of weather as our climate changes.

"We must adapt to this change and are constantly looking at developing our equipment and procedures to meet all the new challenges that we face."

Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service FirefighterDevon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service
More than 70 firefighters tackled a blaze near Croyde, the popular surfing destination in North Devon
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