London [UK] : A wildfire has ravaged around 12,500 acres (50.6 square kilometres) of moorland in Dartmoor, located in south-west England. The fire broke out on Sunday, prompting a flurry of emergency calls. Firefighters battled the flames for nearly 24 hours before successfully extinguishing the blaze on Monday.
During the incident, residents and visitors were urged to avoid the Merrivale and Okehampton areas due to safety concerns. Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service warned that the fire’s behaviour was “unpredictable” due to fluctuating weather conditions.
This destructive fire coincides with the United Kingdom experiencing its warmest start to May on record, with temperatures hitting 29.3 degrees Celsius in south-west London on Thursday afternoon.