Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Ashley Pemberton & Abigail O'Leary

Horrifying moment inferno erupts beside dual carriageway as UK bakes in extreme heat

Dramatic footage captured an enormous blaze involving farm crops as Britain baked in extreme heat.

Six fire engines were called to the roaring inferno on the side of the A61 near Ripon, North Yorks., as temperatures today reached 32C.

Video recorded at 4.30pm by a passenger in a car on the dual carriageway, shows thick black plumes of smoke billowing into the sky.

Locals were told to find alternative routes as the smoke caused congestion on the road for more than an hour.

It comes after the Met Office issued a rare amber weather warning for extreme heat across a large part of the UK next weekend.

A spokesperson for North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service said: "We were called to a crop fire at Hutton Bank, near Ripon. We had six pumps on the scene.

The crop fire raging near the A61 (YorkshireLive)
Huge plumes of smoke coming from the blaze (YorkshireLive)

"This was scaled back. to four appliances at 5.15pm. The incident was closed at 6.30pm."

In a tweet, the fire service said: "Field fires causing road issues near Ripon

"There are fires in fields alongside the A61 at Hutton Bank (north east of Ripon).

"Please avoid the area and find other routes for journeys, while @NorthYorksFire work at the scene. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

It comes after a rare amber weather warning for extreme heat was been issued for large parts of the UK as the mercury sizzled above 30C today with Brits warned it could become too hot to work.

The w eather warning doesn't come into effect until Sunday but temperatures are already starting to climb into the 30s.

The East Midlands, East of England, South East England, North East England, North West England, South West England, Wales, West Midlands and Yorkshire & Humber are under a warning for extreme heat.

The Met Office has warned the heat is likely to be "population-wide adverse health effects", including "potential serious illness or danger to life".

Forecasters also warned that 'population-wide adverse health effects are likely' with 'substantial changes in working practices and daily routines likely to be required', while there could be a loss of gas, water and electricity.

There is a significant risk to those in coastal areas, lakes and rivers because of an increased risk of water safety accidents, forecasters said.

The Met Office has warned the heat is likely to be 'population-wide adverse health effects', including # 'potential serious illness or danger to life' (SWNS)

Warnings were issued as the mercury is set to soar past 32C tomorrow, making the country hotter than the Maldives.

Some reports have suggested Brits could swelter in 43C heat next Sunday, although the Met Office warned this exact figure is "very unlikely".

It comes as Britain got so so hot today that even the train tracks burst into flames.

Train services had to be suspended this morning after a fire on a bridge in Battersea, South London, between Victoria and Brixton.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.