Heatwave sparks record grass fires

LONDON’S fire chief is pleading with councils to ban barbecues after a record number of grass fires in Hounslow and Hillingdon.

The boroughs have suffered the most grass fires in London so far this year, with 114 incidents in Hounslow and 125 grass fires in Hillingdon. Dany Cotton, London’s fire commissioner, has written to all London boroughs asking for a ban on barbecues in pubic parks across the “tinder dry capital”.

London Fire Brigade has said that it has already responded to six times more grass fires in the capital than it did in all of 2017. As well as cigarettes and glass bottles, barbecues are one of the “core causes” of fires in public.

Fire Commissioner Dany Cotton said: “I have attended a number of these large grass fires and it never ceases to shock me how many abandoned smouldering barbecues fire crews spot.

“In these arid conditions, barbecuing on dry grass is not just thoughtless, it’s reckless.

“We have a lot of green space in London but it’s nearly always lined by roads and houses. It’s only a matter of time before hot smoke and flaming debris catches nearby cars and houses and someone is seriously hurt. I know a barbecue ban can be difficult to enforce and many councils have already implemented a ban but I am calling on all our partners to do whatever they can to help us protect London’s open spaces from devastating blazes.”

The brigade says that at one point this week, more than 260 firefighters were dealing with grass fires around the capital in Hillingdon, Barnet, Leytonstone and Enfield.

The Wanstead Flats grass fire took four days to extinguish, and 40 fire engines were at the scene at the height of the blaze.

Deputy Mayor for Fire and Resilience, Fiona Twycross, said: “Londoners have been making the most of this exceptionally hot summer, but with a record number of grass fires, it is important that the sun is enjoyed safely.

“I echo the Fire Commissioner’s request to place a temporary ban on barbecues in public parks.

“Our firefighters have been working in sweltering temperatures to put out grass fires all over the capital and we owe them our deepest thanks. Unfortunately, some of these fires were caused by the careless use of disposable barbecues. Their continued use in this weather not only compromises our shared open spaces but puts the safety of our fellow Londoners at risk.”

As well as a temporary ban on barbecues, the public are being asked to be very careful with how they dispose cigarettes and matches.

Commissioner Cotton added: ”While we have the resources in place to cope, as with any fire, we would rather they didn’t break out in the first place, especially fires that are so easily avoided.”