Travel chaos ensued on the M25 motorway as thick smoke from a large field fire engulfed the roadway, impacting drivers on the first day of the summer holidays. The blaze, which broke out adjacent to a busy section of the M25 near Brentwood, Essex, spread rapidly across approximately 25 hectares of dry crop and hedgerow.
Essex Fire and Rescue Service crews responded to the incident between junctions 27 and 28 of the anti-clockwise carriageway. They successfully extinguished the fire, with operations concluding by 5:04 PM, and handed the remaining site over to the farmer. The fire caused one lane of the M25 to be closed, leading to severe delays for motorists.
The incident occurred during a period of exceptionally high wildfire risk across Britain, following a two-week heatwave and prolonged dry conditions in many areas. Increased wind speeds earlier in the week had further heightened concerns about potential blazes. This weekend is anticipated to be one of the busiest for road travel as the school holidays commence, with millions of journeys planned.
The prevailing warm and dry weather is expected to continue for the next seven to ten days, according to forecasters. This extended period of settled conditions contributes to the ongoing elevated risk of wildfires. In a separate incident highlighting the wildfire threat, two farm workers were recently credited with preventing a blaze from spreading to a housing estate near York by creating a firebreak with tractors.