Firefighters tackled five large grass fires across London over the Bank Holiday weekend, each requiring four engines and specialist teams.
London Fire Brigade were called to incidents in Feltham, Orpington, Enfield and Woolwich Common.
Crews had to use water relay systems due to the remote locations of the fires, with up to 60 firefighters working to bring the largest blazes under control.
Following the spike in incidents, London Fire Brigade is now urging members of the public to take greater care in green spaces, noting that most grass fires are caused by human behaviour — whether accidental or deliberate — and can be prevented.
A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said: "Grass fires are commonly caused by human behaviour, whether that be accidental or deliberate.
“Whilst it can be difficult to determine the causes of these types of fires, the use of disposable BBQs and careless discarding of cigarettes are regularly the cause of outdoor fires. It is also important to place your rubbish with you, if a suitable bin isn’t available as it can ignite and quickly start a fire.
"While some wildfires can occur naturally, particularly during spells of extreme dryness and heat, the majority of these fires can be easily avoided by the public behaving responsibly.
Six fire engines and around 40 firefighters attended a fire affecting around two hectares of grassland and shrubland on Ashford Rod in Feltham on Sunday evening.
The Brigade received the first of 24 calls at 8.47pm and Control Officers mobilised crews from Feltham, Twickenham, Richmond and Heathrow fire stations to the scene. Surrey Fire & Rescue Service also attended. The fire was brought under control by 10.05pm.
Six fire engines and around 40 firefighters also attended a fire affecting around one-and-a-half hectares of grassland and shrubland on Farthing Street in Orpington on Sunday afternoon.
The Brigade was called at 1.21pm and Control Officers mobilised crews from Biggin Hill, Orpington, Bromley, Addington and Beckenham fire stations to the scene.
A wildfire response vehicle from Biggin Hill Fire Station also attended. The fire was brought under control by 3.25pm.
Three major grass fires also took place on Bank Holiday Monday.
Eight fire engines and around 60 firefighters attended a fire affecting around four hectares of grassland on Woolwich Common on Monday.
The Brigade received the first of 26 calls at 11.01am and Control Officers mobilised crews from East Greenwich, Plumstead, Eltham, Greenwich, Deptford and Lee Green fire stations to the scene.
A wildfire response vehicle from Biggin Hill Fire Station also attended along with the Brigade's drone team, providing the Incident Commander with a greater situational awareness of the fire. The fire was brought largely extinguished just before 2pm.
Two separate grass fires broke out in Enfield on Monday, each requiring the attendance of four fire engines and around 25 firefighters.
The first fire affected approximately one hectare of grassland and shrubbery at Rammey Marsh on Innova Way. Crews from Enfield, Chingford and Edmonton fire stations were called to the scene at 10.29am, and a wildfire response vehicle from Enfield Fire Station also attended. The fire was extinguished shortly after midday.
Later in the afternoon, firefighters were called to a second blaze on George Lovell Drive, which affected around three hectares of grassland. The Brigade was alerted at 3.11pm and mobilised crews from Enfield, Edmonton and Stoke Newington, with support from a wildfire response vehicle from Walthamstow. The fire was brought under control by 4.22pm.
London Fire Brigade's Wildfire Response Vehicles supported at some of the fires.
“What might seem like harmless fun has the potential to have devastating consequences especially in London when so many of our green spaces lie close to properties,” the spokesperson added.
“There is also the impact on wildlife and the ability for others to enjoy their local green spaces. These types of incidents can also have a impact on our resources and wildfires can be challenging for firefighters to deal with on the ground, especially if it is hot."
After a hot bank holiday, a period of cooler and wetter weather is now forecast for London.
However, Londoners are being asked to continue acting responsibly to prevent further grass fires and wildfires happening especially as open spaces remain dry after a spring and summer of below-average rainfall.
