New forest: More than 120 firefighters are battling a major heathland wildfire in England's New Forest National Park that has scorched an area of about 1 square kilometer, equivalent to roughly 140 football pitches, authorities said Monday. The blaze began Sunday afternoon after a van caught fire on the A31, a major road running through the New Forest in southern England. Flames subsequently spread from the vehicle to the surrounding heathland, threatening one of Britain's important wildlife habitats.

According to Anadolu Agency, Forestry England stated that the fire is now under control but warned that firefighting operations are expected to continue for several days and urged people to stay away from the affected area. The fire also caused major disruption on the A31. Police said 23 drivers were forced to abandon their vehicles as the flames took hold, with one woman saying she feared her family's car could catch fire.

National Highways reported that the road had suffered significant damage and that it was not yet known when the A31 would reopen. The closure has caused severe congestion on alternative routes through the area. Local roads have become increasingly difficult to navigate, with reports of motorists attempting to tow caravans and even a speedboat through narrow lanes.

The wildfire comes as heat-health alerts have been upgraded across England ahead of a week of soaring temperatures, with highs of up to 36C (96.8F) forecast in the southeast on Thursday. Some areas will move to amber heat-health alerts-one level below the highest-from Tuesday as the next heat wave intensifies. The country's national weather agency, the Met Office, is also considering whether to issue extreme heat warnings.