Firefighters have issued a warning over wildfires in London after two blazes broke out on green spaces in the capital in the past 24 hours.
London Fire Brigade (LFB) urged people to act responsibly during the heatwave as temperatures are expected to exceed 30C on Friday and Saturday. As just under half ofg London is made up of green spaces, which become popular in the heat, the fire service asked Londoners “to do all they can to prevent fires from starting accidentally.”
LFB assistant commissioner Pat Goulbourne said: “With temperatures exceeding 30 degrees Celsius and the driest spring in over a century, the risk of fires spreading rapidly is high.
“With so many of our open spaces close to homes and livelihoods, it is vital we all play our part to reduce the chance of grass fires breaking out in the first place and to protect our communities from incidents.”
The Brigade responded to two grass fires in Rainham on Wednesday, which required the attention of at least four fire engines.
The fire chief warned people against using disposable barbecues in parks and open spaces as they post a “significant fire risk as the heat can be retained for many hours” even once 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,” the assistant commissioner added.
“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.”
Between 2022 and May 2025, the Brigade recorded 332 callouts, 17 of which resulted in casualties, where a barbecue was recorded as a cause or contributing factor to a fire.
The Brigade’s warning comes as the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued the amber heat-health alert for the entire country from 12pm Thursday to 9am Monday. This is an upgrade from the yellow heat health alert that had been issued across parts of England; amber is the second highest, behind red, on the UKHSA system used to warn of the possible impacts on health and social services.
The UKHSA’s weather health alert system provides early warning to the health and social care sector when adverse temperatures are likely to impact the health and well-being of the population.
The Met Office announced on Wednesday that UK heatwaves could become longer and hotter due to escalating climate trends.
Scientists have said that the chance of temperatures exceeding 40C in the UK is accelerating at a rapid pace due to climate change, with a new report from the forecaster’s senior scientist Dr Gillian Kay underlining the need for organisations to prepare for new heat extremes in the near future.
Dr Kay said: "The chance of exceeding 40C has been rapidly increasing, and it is now over 20 times more likely than it was in the 1960s. Because our climate continues to warm, we can expect the chance to keep rising. We estimate a 50-50 chance of seeing a 40C day again in the next 12 years. We also found that temperatures several degrees higher than we saw in July 2022 are possible in today’s climate.”
The Brigade have called on landowners and local authorities to take action to protect communities from wildfires by cutting back or ploughing grass, especially where close to properties, to create fire breaks that slow the spread of flames.
