Wildfires rage across UK after hottest February day on record

A wildfire raged on Saddleworth Moor on Tuesday
Jon Super/Reuters
Sophie Williams27 February 2019

Wildfires raged in parts of the UK after it experienced its warmest February day on record.

Fires broke out at Arthur’s Seat in Edinburgh, Saddleworth Moor in Yorkshire and Ashdown Forest in East Sussex .

Gorse blazes also broke out in northern Wales.

One fire left a man needing to be freed from a tractor in Glyndyfrdwy on Tuesday afternoon.

Flames and smoke billowed up from Arthur's Seat on Tuesday
Andy Holbrook

Firefighters warned that unusually warm weather had meant that the ground was drier than usual, leading to a greater risk of outdoor fires.

Flames were visible across the city on Tuesday night.

Arthur's Seat fire - in pictures

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The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said they had received 197 calls about the fire by 8.30pm on Sunday.

While on Saddleworth Moor, around 1.5 square kilometres was burning.

Saddleworth Moor fire - In pictures

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Witnesses described the “terrible” scene of fire coming close to the buildings high on the moorland.

Incident Commander Laura Boocock told the BBC it was “one of the biggest grass fires (she) has ever seen.”

A moorland fire burns on Saddleworth Moor
Getty Images

It comes less than eight months after firefighters spent three weeks tackling a huge blaze on Saddleworth Moor.

Dramatic images show the sheer size of the blaze on Saddleworth Moor
Reuters

In East Sussex, two large fires broke out, affecting more than 35 hectares of woodland.

The fires were brought under control by Tuesday evening.

Ashdown Forest is the setting for AA Milne’s Winnie the Pooh books.

The fires come after Britain basked in unusually warm February temperatures over the past two days.

On Tuesday, the mercury reached 21.2C in Kew Gardens , following a record of 20.6C in Ceredigion, West Wales on Monday.

Temperatures on Wednesday are expected to reach highs of 20C, according to the Met Office.

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