Sir Sadiq Khan has issued a stark call for Londoners to create firebreaks around their homes in the face of an “extreme” risk of wildfires. The London Mayor gave the warning after a major blaze in Walthamstow, east London, swept through around 30 gardens and damaged properties.
Mayor's Urgent Appeal on Social Media
Sir Sadiq posted on X: “An extreme wildfire risk remains in place across our city. @LondonFire is urging Londoners to take extra precautions.” He then listed the guidance which includes creating a firebreak around your home, keeping grass cut short, clearing garden waste, cutting back trees and shrubs, and positioning sheds away from buildings.
Record Heat and Drought Conditions
The Mayor raised the alarm as London faces around a month with no rain, with the next precipitation not due for approximately ten days. The freak hot weather is taking its toll, with 1,000 people in London and the wider South East estimated to have been killed by the May and June heatwaves. A new report also revealed that the number of 30°C days in the capital has quadrupled in the ten years to 2025, compared to previous decades.
Wildfire Threat Across London
The scorching weather has left the capital’s landscape parched and at “extreme risk” of wildfires. The threat is mainly in Outer London boroughs, where there are more green spaces, but experts have warned that there is even a risk in the Buckingham Palace area due to Royal Parks having been turned into “tinderboxes”.
Fire Incidents and Brigade Response
Around 125 firefighters were deployed to put out the fire in Walthamstow on Sunday after a railway embankment caught fire. There were also blazes in Stratford, Orpington and other parts of the city. The London Fire Brigade is urging people in the capital to take special care given the high risk of blazes, including not using BBQs in parks, not leaving glass bottles around, and not dropping cigarette butts which could spark fires. It has also issued guidance about people clearing areas of two to three metres around their gardens to create firebreaks.
Official Advice from Fire Brigade
LFB Assistant Commissioner Tom Goodall said: “As these very warm and dry conditions continue, we encourage all landowners, including households, to take any precautionary measures they can to protect properties in the event of a fire. Residents can also help minimise damage by keeping grass cut low and cutting back trees and shrubbery, particularly around the edges.”
Historical Context and Water Restrictions
Wildfires erupted last year in Dagenham, Rainham and Wanstead, and in previous years including a major one in Wennington, east London, in 2022. Thames Water is urging Londoners not to use a hosepipe to water their garden or clean their car but has so far stopped short of imposing a hosepipe ban, which has been imposed in other parts of the South East.
