Residents of a fire-ravaged village in east London have been allowed home to assess the devastation.
Key points:
- A fire destroyed a row of houses in Wennington on July 19
- The fire took place during Britain’s record-breaking heatwave
- Residents returned on Sunday to see if there was anything they could salvage
Wennington, on the outskirts of London, is recovering after the fire on July 19 that raced through tinder-dry fields and destroyed a row of houses.
The fire took place during Britain’s record-breaking heatwave, which created the busiest day for London firefighters since bombs rained down on the city during World War II.
George Allen, whose elderly parents lost their home in the blaze, returned on Sunday to see if there was anything he could salvage.
Speaking to Sky News, he said he didn’t want his parents to come back and see the house.
“Best to keep the memories you got,” he said.
The blaze in Wennington destroyed a row of houses. (AP: Yui Mok)
Climate experts have warned that global warming is increasing the frequency of extreme weather events, with studies showing that the likelihood of temperatures in the UK reaching 40 degrees Celsius is now 10 times higher than in the pre-industrial era.
Drought and heat waves tied to climate change have also made wildfires harder to fight.
Paul McClenaghan, Borough Commander at London Fire Brigade, said that with hotter summers in the UK, events like this devastating fire could certainly happen again.
AP
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-07-25/locals-allowed-to-visit-homes-destroyed-by-uk-fire/101267892
