41 properties destroyed by fire in London as temprature soars over 40°C

A major incident was declared over London fires as the temperatures exceeded 40°C, and more than 400 firefighters have been battling at least nine blazes that began on Tuesday afternoon. Homes is Wennington, east London, were evacuated after a grass fire spread to properties and left eight houses and a local church gutted by flames. 175 firefighters and 35 fire engines were called to a grass fire on Pea Lane in Upminster, where smoke billowed over the M25 motorway. 12 fire engines to Uxbridge Road in Pinner to tackle a fire involving garden fencing and trees. Ten fire engines to a restaurant fire on Green Lanes in Southgate, where 70 firefighters also attended. Eight fire engines to a grass fire in Oaks Road Croydon, 8 fire engines to a grass fire on Ballards Road, Dagenham. 12 fire engines to a fire at the Broadway, Wembley, 6 fire engines to a grass fire on Sunning fields Crescent, Hendon, 4 fire engines, to a grass fire on Chapel View, Croydon, 4 fire engines to fire on Sidcup Road, Eltham, 10 fire engines to Hawthrone Avenue, Kenton, where a car wash, two semi-detached houses, and nine vehicles are completely alight, 200 people were evacuated from a nearby caravan site and 60 gas cylinders were removed to a safe area as a precaution as some cylinders can explode when exposed to heat. The Blaze in Wembley shop with flats above was alight and about 50 people were evacuated. Two people were rushed to the hospital following a fire in Dagenham. London Fire Brigade urged people not to have barbecues or bonfires in public parks or at home due to the scale of the challenge facing crews.