Calls across Essex on hottest day on record

Firefighters are working incredibly hard at incidents across Essex, on the hottest day recorded in the county.

Our Control teams are continuing to receive an extremely high number of calls as record-high temperatures continue.

Between 10am and midday, our Contol officers received 110 calls.

Area Manager Neil Fenwick said: "On the hottest day we've ever seen in Essex, we're seeing a large number of calls across the county.

"At this time, please help us to help you - please only call 999 in a genuine emergency.  Please don't have any fires like bonfires, campfires and avoid barbecues while the ground is so dry. If you're a smoker, please dispose of your smoking materials safely and responsibly.

"We know it's tempting to get into open water to cool down, but please - if you don't know how deep it is or what's in it, please don't jump in. If you are in the water and do get into trouble, remember to float to live and signal to others that you're in trouble."

Read our advice on how to stay safe in the heatwave.

Latest incident updates

Crews are currently fighting fires across the county, with notable incidents including:

• Crews extinguished 100 metres by 50 metres of shrubland alight in Roscommon Way, Canvey. On-call firefighters from Canvey (two) and Corringham called in the "stop" at 6.44pm.

• (Pictured) On-call crews from Braintree (two), Coggeshall, Halstead (two) and Tiptree extinguished a 12-acre crop field fire in Lyons Hall Road, Stisted. They were called at 3.17pm and extinguished it at 4.29pm. Group Manager Steve Wintrip said: "Crews did brilliantly to stop this fire so quickly. I'd also like to thank two farmers who used ploughs to create fire breaks."

• Crews from Clacton, Frinton and Weeley are tackling a field fire in Frinton Road, Thorpe. We were called at 2.55pm and the fire was extinguished at 4.04pm.

• We were called to reports of a field fire in Dock Approach Road, close to the A13, at 2.11pm. Six crews from Corringham, Billericay, Ongar, Rochford, Tollesbury and South Woodham Ferrers extinguished the fire at 3.48pm.

• A crew from Chelmsford extinguished a small grass fire in Main Road, Boreham at 1.49pm. We were called to three trees and a small area of grassland alight in Duck Street, Little Easton at 1.54pm. A crew from Thaxted extinguished it at 2.18pm.

• Five crews from Basildon, Corringham, Ongar, Orsett and Rayleigh were called to a field fire, covering two acres, in Noak Hill Road, Great Burstead at 1.06pm. They extinguished it by 3.39pm.

• Crews from Harlow, Newport, Stansted and an Off Road Vehicle extinguished a fire involving a combine harvester and crops in Mallows Green Road, Manuden. The call came in at 12.57pm and was extinguished by 3.30pm

• Crews from Saffron Walden and Witham were called to a field fire measuring 20 metres by 30 metres in Howe Lane, Great Sampford at 11.44am. They extinguished it by 2.59pm.

• Crews, including from Basildon, Brentwood, Grays, Harlow, Southend and Wickford, along with a Water Bowser and Off Road Vehicle, spent four hours tackling a field fire in Pea Lane, Upminster. They were called at 11.31am and the fire was fully extinguished at 3.34pm.

• Crews from Clacton and Weeley were called to Selsey Avenue, Clacton at 10.24am. A faulty extractor fan started a fire in the roof space and spread to the first floor. The fire was fully extinguished at 12.38pm.

• Crews from Braintree, Halstead, Coggeshall, Stansted and Wethersfield were called to 14 acres of corn alight in Deanery Hill, Bocking at 10.21am and extinguished it by 1.27pm.

• Two crews from Colchester attended Sheepen Road, Colchester at 8.31am and found 40 square metres of grassland and hedgerow alight. They used a hose and beaters to extinguish the fire by 8.56am.