Chobham Common wildfire evacuation warning
- Published
Aerial footage from the area shows the scale of the Chobham Common fire
A large wildfire has been burning on heathland in Surrey amid soaring temperatures earlier in the south east of England.
A huge plume of smoke could be seen rising from Chobham Common as multiple fire crews were sent to tackle the flames on Friday.
Firefighters tweeted, external that anyone in the area should leave immediately.
The grass fire, which is larger than 40 hectares, has spread to Wentworth Golf Club.
Play was suspended at the club, with the Rose Ladies Series Grand Final brought to a halt, external.
Competitors took out their phones as the wildfire stopped play at Wentworth Golf Club
Smoke from the fire was visible from more than 10 miles (16km) away, and some people on social media mistakenly said the smoke was coming from Heathrow Airport.
A "significant number" of emergency services were likely to remain at the scene for "for some time," Surrey Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) said at about 22:00 BST.
Trains were disrupted and motorists were told to follow Surrey Police Twitter, external for road closure details.
SFRS said it had sent 10 engines and 10 4x4 vehicles to help tackle the fire.
"If you are on Chobham Common please evacuate the area immediately for your safety," the service said.
Michael Gove, the MP for Surrey Heath, said the fire was a "terrible tragedy," and was "horrified" by the damage it had caused.
People were told to evacuate the area immediately
The FBU has said crews were working in arduous conditions
A spokesman for the fire service said the alert came at about 12:25.
"Approximately 41 hectares of grass and undergrowth are alight," he said.
Surrey Search and Rescue sent a drone up to monitor the fire and tweeted they had been called out to support the fire service on the heath.
Surrey Search and Rescue sent a drone up to monitor the fire
Chobham Common was closed between Titlarks Hill Road and the roundabout with Windsor Road and Chertsey Road.
On its website, external, South Western Trains said a line was blocked at Longcross because of a fire next to the track and services may be cancelled, delayed or revised, with disruption expected until 20:00.
The fire broke out as the UK was set for one of its hottest days on record, with temperatures reaching more than 36C (96.8F) in south-east England.
Surrey Fire Brigades Union tweeted, external that the Surrey and neighbouring brigades were struggling to contain the fire in "arduous working conditions".
Smoke billowed over the common