Grass fire – Manor Park

Six fire engines and around 40 firefighters were called to a grass fire on Capel Road in Manor Park.

Around two hectares of grass and shrubland were damaged by fire. There were no reports of any injuries.

The Brigade’s 999 Control Officers took 31 calls to the blaze.

Sub Officer Sullivan, who was at the scene, said: “Crews worked incredibly hard in the extremely hot weather to tackle the fire. We see lots of people barbecuing in open spaces when the weather is nice and spending time outdoors which means that sadly, cigarettes will often be discarded on to grass.

“The hot days we have been having means the ground is dry and fires can start very easily. Please avoid barbecuing in parks and open spaces and don’t drop cigarettes on to dry ground.”

Brigade top tips on grass fires:

• Avoid having barbecues in parks, public spaces and balconies.
• 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- don’t drop cigarettes on dry ground and don’t drop them out of car windows, as they may land on dry grass and lead to a fire.
• Disposable barbecues that have been discarded and abandoned can still end up causing a fire as they will continue to retain heat after use – they need to be put right out and cooled before being thrown away.
• Do not barbecue on balconies, the wind can carry smouldering ash onto nearby grassland.

The Brigade was called at 1805 and the fire was under control by 1950. Fire crews from Leytonstone, Stoke Newington, East Ham, Leyton, Stratford and Ilford fire stations attended the scene.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.