London’s firefighters were called out to a number of large grass fires over the weekend.
The grass fires include:
- Two hectares of grass alight in Wembley on Friday night – four fire engines and 25 firefighters were called to deal with the fire
- Three hectares of grass alight on Hounslow heath on Sunday afternoon – five fire engines and 30 firefighters dealt with the fire
- Three hectares of grass alight in Whitton near Twickenham on Sunday evening – seven fire engines and 50 firefighters dealt with the fire
- Two hectares of grass alight near Pevensey Road in Feltham on Sunday evening – three fire engines and 15 firefighters dealt with the fire
One hectare is roughly the same size as a football pitch.
A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said “Luckily the temperature is set to cool down a bit towards the end of the week, but we are still asking people to take care to prevent grass fires.
"We’re asking the public to take care not to drop cigarettes or matches on dry grass and to keep a very close eye on barbecues.
"Dropped glass can also start fires as the sun can magnify the sun’s rays.
"Grass fires can quickly spread and cause serious damage, so if you see grass smouldering, please call 999 immediately.”
The Brigade’s tips on preventing grass fires are as follows:
- Never leave camp fires or barbecues unattended and extinguish them properly after you have finished using them
- Clear away bottles, glasses and any broken glass to avoid them magnifying the sun and starting a fire
- Dispose of smoking materials such as cigarettes safely
- Explain to children the dangers of playing with and lighting fires
