Be alert to fire risks during warm weather

Update 12 August: A drought has been officially declared across the whole of South Eastern England, including London. Residents have been urged to be mindful of the pressure on resources and told they should use water wisely.

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The extremely hot and dry weather we are experiencing currently has heightened the risk of grass, rubbish and open land fires. With the current heatwave expecting to see temperatures in the mid-thirties over the weekend, the situation is getting worse if anything.

London Fire Brigade have reported 8 times as many outdoor fires this year compared to early August 2021.

Please do your bit to prevent fires by:

• Not using barbecues in parks and open spaces: Grass will be tinder dry after such hot weather, so can easily catch fire from the heat of a barbecue. Disposable barbecues that have been abandoned can still end up causing a fire as hot coals can smoulder and pose a real fire risk for some time after the flames die down – they need to be put right out and cooled before being safely thrown away.
• Not using barbecues on balconies: It’s easier than you might think for a balcony fire to spread to others, which could not only leave you homeless but displace hundreds of your neighbours too.
• Not disposing of lit cigarettes: always make sure cigarettes are fully extinguished before disposing of them in an appropriate bin.
• Disposing of glass properly: always dispose of glass items in an appropriate bin. Glass can cause refraction fires when exposed to direct sunlight.

Find more fire safety advice on the London Fire Service website (external link)