Grass fire - Rainham

Four fire engines and around 25 firefighters were called to reports of grass alight on Glebe Road in Rainham. 

A significant area of scrubland, covering around 10,000 square metres was damaged by fire. There were no reports of any injuries. 

The Brigade's 999 Control Officers took 10 calls to the blaze.

A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said: "Firefighters worked incredibly hard in arduous conditions to bring the fire under control.

"The hot weather we have been having makes the ground extremely dry, which causes grassland and parks to burn quickly when exposed to even the smallest of sparks.

"The most common causes of grass fires are discarded cigarettes. Even ones thrown from car windows can ignite dry grass verges and spread quickly. Whilst it is safer to smoke outdoors, please always make sure cigarettes are disposed of carefully, or even better yet - stop smoking altogether.”

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.
• Never leave barbecues unattended and extinguish them properly after you have finished using them.
• 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.

The Brigade was called at 1750 and the fire was under control by 2005. Fire crews from Barking, Dagenham, Stratford and Harold Hill fire stations attended the scene. 

The cause of the fire is under investigation.