London Fire Brigade has responded to 64 wildfires this summer compared to just 19 five years ago, reports Kumail Jaffer, Local Democracy Reporter

A grass fire at Rammey Marsh, Enfield, in 2022

Ministers must publish an effective national wildfire strategy immediately after new data showed the number of wildfires has more than tripled this summer compared to 2020, London Assembly members have warned.

London Fire Brigade (LFB) said they had responded to 64 wildfires this summer compared to just 19 five years ago, representing a 237% increase.

Higher temperatures and below-average rainfall have been blamed for the rise in blazes, with London at particular risk due to the number of residential areas that border green spaces and parks. Most fires are started by members of the public, whether deliberately or accidentally, according to the LFB.

On Tuesday (19th) Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan said raging wildfires were now an issue on “our doorstep” and said the LFB had received record investment to tackle blazes whenever they do start.

The revelation also sparked calls for the national government to roll out a comprehensive wildfire strategy to deal with the increasing frequency.

Zack Polanski, chair of the London Assembly’s fire committee, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS): “With drier springs and record-breaking hot summers becoming the new normal, every increase in temperature pushes wildfires closer to our doorsteps, threatening our homes and our city’s green spaces.

“The London Fire Brigade and National Fire Chiefs Council have both warned of a heightened risk of wildfires this year, so these figures are sadly no surprise.

“The LFB has learned many lessons since the major wildfire incidents in 2022, but more still needs to be done – which is why this Committee is calling for a national wildfire strategy to tackle this growing threat.”

Hina Bokhari, a Liberal Democrat assembly member who sits on the fire committee, told the LDRS: “The threat of wildfires will only grow as the climate emergency deepens, so every Londoner will need to play their part in preventing them and it will need to be a top priority for the London Fire Brigade.

“But this problem is bigger than London and what we urgently need is a national plan for wildfires, alongside proper government funding, to ensure our firefighters have the tools, training and resources they need to address this rising threat and keep our capital safe.”

Last week researchers at Imperial College London warned that the capital was facing a growing threat from an emerging phenomenon called “firewaves” as temperatures rise due to climate change.

Professor Guillermo Rain said: “Climate change is bringing more heatwaves and longer dry spells. These conditions dry out fuels and increase the risk of wildfires.

“That risk is much greater now than it was even a decade ago.”

Last month 125 firefighters were needed to safely extinguish a grass fire in Dagenham, East London.

Sir Sadiq Khan said: “The climate crisis is having a devastating impact on our environment with temperatures rising in London, across the UK and around the world.

“Wildfires are raging across Europe engulfing green spaces, endangering homes, forcing evacuations and posing a genuine threat to life. This isn’t a faraway issue, it’s on our doorstep.

“London continues to experience wildfires during the summer months, and I’m determined to do everything possible to ensure the capital is as prepared as possible for the impact of climate change, wildfires and extreme heat.”

Another fire committee member, Conservative Thomas Turrell, said: “Wildfires are regrettably more common during periods of intense heat, exacerbated by the city’s geography making London a naturally warmer city.

“With the gorgeous hot summer we’ve been having, it’s to be expected. Which is why we must ensure our fire service is properly funded and resourced to deal with these fires, and that the mayor has plans in place to tackle this problem.”

A spokesperson for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, which has held responsibility for fire and rescue services since April, said: “Increasing wildfires present a real risk to people, which is why we are taking action to ensure fire services and national bodies can manage and respond to risks.

“This includes funding a national resilience wildfire advisor to make sure we can protect communities, alongside giving fire and rescue authorities almost £3billion in the last financial year to help tackle wildfires – and we will continue to ensure services have the resources they need.”

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