Fire crews raced to three grass fires in three hours in London

Fire crews tackled three grass fires across east London yesterday, with residents evacuated as more than 185 firefighters worked to control the blazes.

In less than three hours, the London Fire Brigade (LFB) were deployed to incidents in Dagenham, Hornchurch and Walthamstow.

In Dagenham, residents were evacuated as 20 fire engines and around 125 firefighters battled an eight-hectare wildfire.

Shrubland, trees, fences and garden furniture were seen burning behind Clemence Road in Dagenham with locals nearby ordered to leave their homes.

The London Fire Brigade (LFB) advised residents to keep their doors and windows shut due to the smoke, with the public also advised to avoid the area due to road closures.

The Brigade’s Control Office took the first of over 75 calls at 6.30pm and the fire was ‘under control’ by 9.46pm. 

Meanwhile, an additional eight fire engines and 60 firefighters attended another eight-acre blaze near Wingletye Lane in Hornchurch, with the brigade called at 8.10pm and the blaze controlled by wildfire beaters by 10.31pm. 

In Walthamstow, three hectares of grassland were destroyed by a fire, with the Control Office first receiving one of 49 calls at 8.55. The blaze was ‘under control’ by 11.23pm.

Striking footage of the Dagenham blaze showed charred remains of the vast expanse of once-green land as plumes of smoke billow into the sky towards nearby houses.

Firefighter Craig Fenner said: ‘Firefighters worked extremely hard to prevent the fire from spreading to nearby properties.

‘The fire had reached some garden fences, sheds and garden furniture. As well as our jets, we used wildfire beaters to beat the flames and stop them from reaching the properties. 

‘Firefighters will remain at the scene for the next few hours to continue to dampen down the surrounding area.’

Station commander Matt Hayward added: ‘We also thank Barking and Dagenham Council who had put fire breaks in place, which helped stop the fire from reaching the properties. 

‘We also had great support from our blue light colleagues, Essex Fire and Rescue Service and the London Ambulance Service Hazardous Area Response Team.’

The cause of the fire is not known at this stage.

In response to the Hornchurch blaze, LFB said that all of their firefighters ‘have been undergoing enhanced wildfire response training in preparation for what could be another challenging summer. 

‘All Brigade officers are now trained in fire tactics for dealing with wildfires and fires occuring at the urban rural interface within London. 

‘This is another example of how we are adapting to our training to new and emerging risks.’

The cause of the fire is currently under investigation, with crews from Barking, Kentish Town, Soho and other surrounding areas all mobilised to the scene. 

Meanwhile, the fire that raged on Walthamstow Marshes in Walthamstow saw crews from Homerton, Finchley, Stoke, Newington and other surrounding stations on the scene, working tirelessly to destroy a blaze that destroyed three hectares of grassland. 

In response, a LFB spokesperson advised members of the public to ‘act responsibly to prevent fires from occurring’. 

They added: ‘As the weather has been so dry, it only takes a few sparks to lead to a fire spreading rapidly. In London, this is can be dangerous because so many of our green spaces lie close to homes and other properties.

‘If you’re heading out, please don’t take a disposable BBQ with you. They can retain heat for several hours after use and are banned by local authorities from many of London’s parks. 

‘Also make sure you are discarding of cigarettes properly and take rubbish home with you if no bins are available.

‘At home, make sure your BBQ is positioned away from flammable items like fences, sheds, decking and trees and please don’t have any type of BBQ on your balcony. We’re also strongly advising people to avoid burning any waste in this type of weather and to not have bonfires, particularly in their gardens.’

The cause of the third fire is also being investigated.