BRITAIN sweltered in temperatures of up to 30°C today as firefighters warned that years of cuts have left services struggling to cope with the growing threat of wildfires.

The Met Office said most areas would remain warm, with highs of 30°C in London and Salisbury, 29°C in Cardiff and Cambridge and 28°C in Nottingham.

While northern regions saw patchy cloud and scattered showers, the heat was concentrated across southern and central England.

The weather coincided with a major wildfire at Holt Heath, Dorset, which had already burned through 72 hectares by today. 

Fire crews from across Britain travelled to assist, with the blaze expected to take several days to extinguish.

Fire Brigades Union assistant general secretary Ben Selby said services had undergone “14 years of austerity.”

“The loss of one in five firefighter posts to cuts, with fire engines taken off the run and fire stations closed up and down the country, means that there is no resilience left,” he said.

“Wildfires are intensive incidents, requiring a large number of firefighters and specialist resources. 

“They are becoming increasingly severe and frequent as a result of the climate emergency.”