Firefighters have released images of devastation left behind in Delamere Forest after a wildfire.
Eight fire crews were called to reports of a fire in the beauty spot by a ranger, at around 5.40pm on Tuesday, July 19. The blaze was described as "deep seated" and covered a section 40m by 40m in woodland.
The fire, near Barnsbridge Gates Car Park, was alight overnight. Crews remained at the scene for nearly 24 hours as they battled the flames and eventually dampened down hotspots. Pictures released by Cheshire Fire and Rescue showed huge section of the forest blackened by the blaze, impacting trees and grass.
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A spokesperson for the fire service said on Tuesday, July 20: "Crews stayed at this incident throughout the night and are continuing to damp down areas and extinguish hot spots of fire. One hose reel is currently in use and there is a water shuttle set up along with a portable pump to feed the hose. Relief crews are in attendance from Winsford and Tarporley.
"The effected woodland is now fully damped down and no hot spots have been located. Crews are handing over to forest rangers shortly and are now making up equipment."
Across the country, fires ravaged through houses and buildings after temperatures topped 40C for the first time ever on Monday and Tuesday. Major incidents were announced by fire brigades in London, Leicestershire and South Yorkshire as dozens of fires broke out amid the sweltering heat - with flames ripping through houses, schools and churches.
Two "large-scale" incidents took place in Upminster and the village of Wennington, east London, where black smoke billowed into the air, while flames destroyed buildings and ravaged nearby fields. Elsewhere, a serious blaze occurred in Barnsley when a row of houses in the Moorland Avenue area was consumed by flames, with crews continuing to battle fires elsewhere in the area.
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