Four fire engines and around 25 firefighters tackled a fire at Launders Lane in Rainham.
An area of wasteland 50x100 metres was alight.
Local residents should continue to keep their windows and doors closed due to smoke in the area.
One of the Brigade's 32-metre turntable ladders was used as a water tower to help fight the fire from above.
The Brigade was called at 1333 and the fire was extinguished by 1636. Crews from Wennington, Dagenham, Hornchurch and Greenwich fire stations attended the scene.