A section of the M25 motorway in the United Kingdom has been closed due to a significant industrial estate fire raging adjacent to the road. The closure is in effect between Junction 22 and Junction 21a near St Albans, with thick plumes of smoke visible and wafting across the carriageway.
Firefighters requested the closure from National Highways due to concerns over a "risk of a secondary explosion" as they work to combat a blaze at a warehouse in Ventura Park. Residents in the vicinity have been advised to keep their doors and windows shut and to avoid the area.
Deputy Chief Fire Officer Mark Barber stated that fire crews are actively working to bring the situation under control. "Fire Control has received a significant number of calls regarding this incident, and I would like to reassure residents that firefighters are working hard to bring the situation under control," Barber said.
The incident occurs against a backdrop of severe weather conditions in the UK, including a widespread drought and a heatwave. Separately, a wildfire in the New Forest has been consuming approximately 250 acres of heathland after a van reportedly caught fire and spread to surrounding vegetation. Firefighters have been working for over 72 hours to contain this separate blaze, with wind shifts complicating their efforts. The A31 road near Ringwood, Hampshire, which was impacted by the New Forest fire, sustained significant damage and will require repairs before reopening. Authorities had urged drivers to abandon their vehicles to escape the wildfire, with around two dozen cars left on the A31.