Train services running in and out of London Paddington and Heathrow Airport have resumed following major disruption caused by a trackside grass fire.

The incident began on Saturday afternoon when a blaze broke out near Scrubs Lane in North Kensington. The fire caused an electricity supply failure that blocked all lines between Paddington and Heathrow, suspending Great Western Railway services towards Reading, alongside Heathrow Express and Elizabeth line trains.

The London Fire Brigade was called to the scene just after 4.10pm, sending six fire engines and around 40 crew members to tackle the flames as a large plume of smoke rose over west London. Around 380 passengers on a stranded Elizabeth line train had to be evacuated by the operator and Transport for London.

National Rail confirmed on Sunday morning that disruption linked to the fire had ended across the network. Great Western Railway reported that it was once again operating a "good service" across most of its routes.

If you are travelling today, you will still need to keep an eye on schedules due to separate, pre-planned engineering works between London Paddington and Burnham. All lines between Paddington and Ealing Broadway were shut early on Sunday until 7.40am, meaning Elizabeth line trains to Maidenhead and Reading have been running to an amended timetable, with early morning GWR services also rescheduled.

The trackside incident was not the only fire to affect west London transport on Saturday. Heathrow Airport's southern runway was temporarily shut after a separate grass fire broke out on the airfield itself, forcing emergency services to intervene and diverting at least two flights.

These fires come as more than two-thirds of England remains in drought conditions. The prolonged dry weather has left grass verges and railway corridors highly vulnerable to catching alight.

The broader risk has already triggered major land restrictions across the country. The public has been banned from more than 250,000 acres of woodland over what authorities cited as a "risk of ignition". Baroness Young, chair of the Forest Commission, stated that the ban was necessary because advisory warning signs were not enough to prevent fires from breaking out.

Emergency services in London have faced intense demand over recent weeks. London Fire Brigade records show crews tackled a record 63 grass fires in the capital on 30 July alone, followed by a weekend on 4 August in which firefighters dealt with 423 grass blazes across the city.

What we do not know yet is the exact cause of the ignition by the tracks at Scrubs Lane. Fire services have repeatedly warned everyone to take extra care around all green spaces while conditions remain so dry.

Rail routes in and out of Paddington are moving again, but with altered timetables still lingering from the planned works, make sure to check your specific train before you travel. I'll be following this one — check back for updates.