Warning after wildfire rips through common

Firefighters have urged people to play their part in keeping the countryside safe after a Surrey wildfire.

The blaze at Chobham Common broke out in the early hours of Sunday, just off Red Lion Road.

Surrey Fire and Rescue Service group commander Dan O'Donovan said at its peak the fire had a footprint of two hectares, though he added the situation was now "under control".

Crews had worked throughout the day and overnight with the wildfire "surrounded", he said.

"Things are looking good," O'Donovan told BBC Radio Surrey.

However, he said about 1.8 hectares of land had been left "crispy and burnt" by the flames.

Firefighters said the cause of the blaze is not yet known, but they said there was evidence of a recent campfire in the area.

"Please play your part in keeping #SurreyPrepared and help protect our beautiful countryside in this continued spell of hot dry weather," the fire service wrote on Facebook.

It urged people to take their litter home, especially glass, swap a BBQ for a picnic, to dispose of cigarettes properly and not to light campfires or bonfires.

It comes after there have been 28 days in 2026 when 30C has been exceeded somewhere in the UK.

Central and south-east England, meanwhile, have seen the longest unbroken spell of no recorded rainfall this century, Met Office figures suggest.

Follow BBC Surrey on Facebook, X, and Instagram and listen to BBC Radio Surrey on Sounds. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250.