A wildfire warning has been issued for London with temperatures expected to reach highs of 33°C.
The threat of wildfires is set to grow today and tomorrow while temperatures are highest, according to London Fire Brigade.
The brigade is urging Londoners to take steps to prevent the risk of wildfires spreading.
London Fire Brigade 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.’
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Two grass fires broke out in Rainham on Wednesday within just an hour of each other.
Often, the most common cause of wildfires is the use of BBQs, particularly disposable ones.
Across England and Wales, firefighters have responded to more than 500 wildfires so far this year.
How to stop a wildfire?
BBQs
- Position your BBQ outdoors, on level ground (not decking) and keep it well away from anything that may catch fire such as sheds, fences, or trees.
- Avoid distractions from people around you and never leave the BBQ unattended.
- Avoid drinking alcohol if you are in charge of the BBQ.
- Keep children, pets and garden games a safe distance from the BBQ.
- After cooking, make sure the BBQ is cool before moving or cleaning.
- Empty ashes onto bare garden soil, not into dustbins or wheelie bins. If they’re hot, they can melt the plastic and start a fire.
- Keep a bucket of water, sand or a garden hose nearby for emergencies.
Smoking
- Discarded smoking materials pose a huge fire risk. If you have had a cigarette, please make sure that it is completely out.
- Never throw cigarette ends out of car windows.
- If you are smoking on your balcony, have an ashtray to hand, and don’t flick your ashes off the balcony.
Rubbish
Don’t leave bottles or glass in woodland or open spaces – sunlight shining through glass can start fires (take them home and recycle them).
Leftover rubbish poses a huge fire risk. People are asked to ensure their rubbish is placed securely inside a bin or to take it home with them.
Source: London Fire Brigade
Temperatures reached as high as 32°C in Kew, West London, yesterday, and are set to rise even further to 33°C today and over the weekend.
The hot weather is expected to peak on Saturday with temperatures of 34°C, below the June record of 35.6°C in 1976.
What is an amber heat-health alert?
An amber heat-health alert has been issued for all regions in England and is the first amber alert issued by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) since September 2023.
The amber alert means ‘significant impacts are likely’ across health and social care services because of high temperatures.
This includes a rise in deaths, particularly among those aged 65 and over or people with health conditions.
The Met Office has warned that by this afternoon, a number of areas will have passed the heatwave threshold.
A heatwave is recorded when areas reach a certain temperature for three consecutive days, with thresholds varying from 25°C to 28°C in different parts of the UK.
Dan Stroud from the Met Office said: ‘We’re expecting the hot and dry conditions to continue, it does turn a little bit hazier in the west during the course of Friday, we’re still expecting temperatures to reach the low 30s, 31, 32°C fairly widely, maybe seeing 33°C.’
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