Grass fire - Mitcham

Six fire engines and around 40 firefighters were called to a grass fire on Mitcham Common in Mitcham.

Around one hectare of grass and wasteland was destroyed by the fire. There were no injuries reported.

The Brigade Control office received 10 calls about the fire, with one caller using ‘what3words’ to identify the location of the fire.  This simple and free app is available to download, it gives the Emergency Services your location down to a metre.

A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said: “The warmer weather we have been having makes the ground extremely dry, which unfortunately means grassland and parks will burn quickly when exposed to even the smallest of sparks.

“If you see a grass fire, don't attempt to put it out yourself as grass fires can travel very quickly and change direction without warning. Call the Brigade and let us know where the fire is.”

The Brigade was called at 1907 and the fire was under control by 2120. Fire crews from Norbury, Mitcham, Croydon and other surrounding fire stations attending the scene.

Brigade’s 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.