Dramatic photographs show a field going up in flames off Church Road, Cobham, near Gravesend. The photos were taken yesterday as the temperatures hit the high 20s.
It is thought the fire was caused by a faulty combine harvester which then ignited some of the loose straw. The field was being harvested at the time so there was plenty of loose straw laying on the ground.
The fire was tackled by 15 fire crews for more than three hours during the evening as locals were advised to keep windows and doors closed due to smoke coming from the fire.
The smoke was so intense that it could be seen from the other side of the Thames river in Rayleigh, Essex.
At 10.10pm, a fire service spokesman said “A field fire off Church Road, in Cobham, Gravesend, is now out and firefighters are dampening down any remaining hot spots. At the height of the incident, 15 fire engines, a bulk water carrier, four all-terrain vehicles and the technical rescue unit were in attendance’.
