Heatwave - Heightened Fire Risk

With the continued extremely hot and dry weather, which we are experiencing currently, there is a greater risk of inadvertent fire spread which poses a heightened risk to life and property or environmental damage. This also places an increased pressure on the fire services to respond quickly. Below is some advice and reminders on how to stay safe and help reduce the likelihood of starting a fire; 

• Never light a barbeque or use a fire pit (or similar) on your balcony. They can cause fires to start when falling embers burn items on the ground below or they are too close to other items that will burn. Depending on where they are placed on the balcony, you could also become trapped and be unable to escape in the event of a fire 
• Please do not store anything combustible or flammable (anything that will burn in a fire) on your balcony as it could help a fire to spread 
• In hot and dry conditions don’t have a fire or BBQ on dry grass or close to plants, trees, fencing, tents, sheds or other items that can easily catch fire. Some trees, like conifers have a large amount of sap in their branches which can create large fire spread very quickly 
• Remember to fully extinguish all smoking materials as discarded or smouldering items can cause fires to start
• Don’t leave broken bottles or glass lying around on the grass or next to dry plants or trees, they can magnify the sun’s rays and start a fire 
• Don’t take risks in the heat and report a fire as soon as you see it 
• Find more advice on fire safety at home from the London Fire Brigade Fire safety at home | London Fire Brigade (london-fire.gov.uk)