Good Morning Britain was interrupted on Monday for a major news update as senior correspondent Jonathan Swain reported on a "major fire" in the New Forest. The blaze, which began on Sunday afternoon, has been burning since then, with fire crews working to contain it.
Fire crews battle the flames
Swain described the scene: "You can see the fire crews there, just moving around behind me. Let's just show you the flames, because all the smoke is quite atmospheric, you can see, as the sun is beginning to rise." He noted that he and his colleagues were positioned 3-4km away from the heath fire.
The fire started after a van caught fire, which then sparked the dry heathland. Tourists using the A31, a major road to the South coast, had to evacuate their cars as the carriageway and central reservation were cleared to allow drivers to turn around and escape the flames.
Wildfires across the UK
Swain also highlighted other wildfires impacting the UK, including a fire in Cambridgeshire, an incident declared at Sherwood Pines in Mansfield, and another in Ebor Vale in South Wales.
The UK is experiencing one of its hottest summers on record, with the Met Office predicting a sixth heatwave this week. Temperatures are forecast to reach 36°C in parts of East Anglia and south-east England by Thursday.
