Wildfire erupts in east London
The conflagration on bone-dry scrubland near Clemence Road, Dagenham, was tackled by 125 firemen and 20 fire engines.
The London Fire Brigade (LFB) ordered locals to keep doors and windows shut because of intense smoke billowing from the flames.
The fire started at 6.30pm and quickly spread across grass, shrubs, trees, fences and garden furniture.
The LFB deployed an off-road wildfire response vehicle, beaters and hoses to the fire, the cause of which is not yet known.
A spokesman said that properties had been evacuated 'as a precaution' and advised people to avoid the area due to road closures.
The fire service were then called to a 14-acre grass wildfire in nearby Hornchurch at 8.10pm.
It dispatched 60 firemen and eight fire engines to the blaze, the cause of which is still unknown.
In 2022, a wildfire destroyed around 20 homes in the nearby village of Wennington during a heatwave.
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