South Yorkshire fires: Pictures from the day a major incident was declared
It was described by one MP as a "dark day" for South Yorkshire.
In scenes rarely, if ever, witnessed in the county, fields caught fire, people were driven from their homes and businesses. In some cases houses were completely destroyed.
On what was the hottest day on record, such were the demands on the emergency services that they were forced to declare a major incident – allowing them to call for help from colleagues elsewhere.
Here, we round up some of the extraordinary images from a day that will live long in the memory:
Barnsley
A fire broke our near Woodland Drive, leaving a number of properties completely gutted.
Residents were seen assisting fire officers to try and tame the blaze.
A fundraiser has since been set up to support those who have lost everything which, by midday 20 July, had topped £17,000.
Maltby
A number of homes on Strauss Crescent in Maltby, near Rotherham, also fell victim to fire.
It started on scrubland next to Home Bargains and Aldi stores before spreading to three nearby houses.
One man was dragged out of his property by fire officers, leaving his dog behind. Miraculously, four hours later, the dog was recovered from the property alive and well.
The damage to properties was still being assessed on Wednesday.
Kiveton Park
Three properties in Kiveton Park, near Rotherham, have been destroyed after they were engulfed by fire which started in nearby grassland.
Nearby homes were evacuated while South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service and colleagues from West Yorkshire battled the incident.
Doncaster
Wildfires raged across fields by Sprotbrough Road. The smoke could be seen for miles.
Roads were closed. Homes and businesses were evacuated.
A pub closed as flames encroached on its beer garden.
Meanwhile a further field fire in Firbeck could be seen from Laughten en le Morthern in Rotherham. The flames jumped over the Oldcotes Road and were in fields near to Dinnington High School.
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