Two wildfires broke out in London amid the scorching weather over the past weekend.
London Fire Brigade scrambled dozens of firefighters to the blazes in Enfield and Feltham on Sunday to extinguish them before they spread and have issued warnings about more fires in the coming months.
Specialist wildfire response vehicles being trialled this summer were also dispatched to the scenes.
The first fire occurred shortly after midday when six fire engines and around 40 firefighters were called to reports of a grass fire in an open space on Mollison Avenue in Enfield.
The second blaze broke out at around 4.50pm, with four fire engines and around 25 firefighters attending a grass fire on Wigley Road in Feltham, where around four hectares of grassland was alight.
Firefighters deployed a wildfire response vehicle from Feltham Fire Station and crews also used backpack blowers, which work just like leaf blowers.
So far no other wildfires have broken out, but where are they most likely to?
Here is all we know:
Which parts of London are most at risk?
Wildfires tend to take hold in dry areas.
The majority of wildfires in the UK occur in grasslands and woodlands as well as heathlands, moorlands and grasslands where fires can take hold easily and spread quickly.
The London Fire Brigade issued a warning about the potential for wildfires with higher temperatures hitting the capital in recent weeks.
The warning was issued for the capital, as fire chiefs said there was a greater risk of grass fires and wildfires following an assessment from the Natural Hazards Partnership.
Just under half of London - 47 per cent - is made up of green spaces, which is where wildfires thrive.
Richmond Park is the largest green space in London, which measures at 2,500 acres.
Hampstead Heath in north London and Victoria Park are also vast green spaces.
Fire chiefs say people using these spaces in heat should “act responsibility” to stop the likelihood of a wildfire breaking out and taking hold.
Why are wildfires in London becoming more common?
It isn’t just London, wildfires are becoming more common around the UK, and a new study has said it is all our own fault.
Human-caused climate change has increased the likelihood of the UK being affected by wildfires sixfold since 2022, new research has found.
Scientists found that rising global temperatures and drier conditions amplified fire risks, particularly in England.
Experts collated from a number of leading organisations including the Met Office, the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH), and the University of Exeter found that “rising global temperatures and drier conditions dramatically increased the probability of extreme fire weather.”
The study compared the current climate to a world without greenhouse gas emissions from human activity and looked at how changing weather conditions affected fire spread and intensity.
The study identified England as the most vulnerable UK nation for being affected by wildfires in the future. London will also be affected massively, because the capital will also see the majority of hot weather because of where it lies in England.
Met Office lead author Dr Chantelle Burton said: “The 2022 heatwave wasn’t just record-breaking – it drastically increased the risk of fires, highlighting the growing danger climate change poses to the UK.”
How to prevent them?
Experts say there are measures we can take to lower the risk of a wildfire breaking out.
With the Met Office predicting a greater chance of further heatwaves this summer, the London Fire Brigade issued advice to locals about how to reduce the risk while simultaneously calling to landowners and local authorities to take action now to help protect communities from wildfires.
Measures include cutting back and ploughing grass, especially where it may lie close to homes and buildings.
They also advised people to take care if enjoying BBQs in the hot weather and to make sure that they are taking care when disposing of rubbish.
Assistant Commissioner Goulbourne from the London Fire Brigade said: “If you’re planning to enjoy the weather in a park or other open spaces, please don’t take a disposable BBQ with you. They pose a significant fire risk as the heat can be retained for many hours, even after a barbecue has been put out.
“If you’re having a BBQ at home, avoid doing so on a balcony and ensure your BBQ is away from flammable materials like fences and sheds. You should also avoid having your BBQ on any decking you may have in your garden.”
It’s also important to make sure that smoking materials are discarded of properly and either dispose of your rubbish in the appropriate bins or take it home with you if none are available.”
People are also advised to not leave bottles or glass in woodland or open spaces as sunlight shining through glass can start fires and disposing of cigarettes properly.
