Londoners have been urged to avoid barbecuing in parks as scorching weather hits the capital.
The warning, issued by the London Fire Brigade, comes as forecasters say temperatures could reach 25C (73F) this weekend.
“There is a heightened risk of grass fires and wildfires in London today and over the coming days,” the LFB posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“Please don't take a disposable BBQ to the park and (be) careful about how you dispose of your cigarettes and rubbish.”
Barbecues are banned in most London boroughs, as well as the Royal Parks, to protect the environment and reduce air pollution.
There are also growing concerns about disposable barbecue fires, particularly during warm and dry weather.
In 2022, firefighters prevented a serious blaze at Wanstead Flats, east London caused using a disposable barbecue.
Several councils do allow barbecues in some of its green spaces, including Waterlow Park in Camden and Burgess Park in Southwark.
But the LFB, which is campaigning for an outright ban on the sale and use of disposable barbecues, has warned that they can cause fires when smouldering ash and embers are carried by the wind onto areas of dry grass.
They said parents should keep an eye on their children and pets at all times and that barbecues should never be left unattended.
Those who light up a barbie should keep it on level ground and keep it well away from anything that may catch fire, such as fences or trees.
A bucket of water or sand should also be kept nearby for emergency use and the barbecue must be discarded after cooling down, the force added.
The guidance comes after the UK saw its warmest start to May on record, with highs of 29C (85F) in Kew Gardens, west London last Thursday.
The National Fire Chiefs Council said fire and rescue services in England and Wales have responded to 464 wildfires so far this year, including in Dartmoor and Errwood Valley in Derbyshire, and have called on the Government to invest in fire services to address this “growing, year-round threat”.
The organisation warned that most wildfires are caused by human activity, including accidental and deliberate blazes, and that dry weather can worsen the damage caused by fires.
NFCC chairman Phil Garrigan said: “Wildfires are no longer a seasonal hazard – they are a growing, year-round threat to life, property and the environment, driven by the increasing impacts of climate change.”
