The blaze consumed seven hectares of shrubland before being brought under control

Firefighters tackling the blaze at Rammey Marsh (credit LFB)

Firefighters tackled a wildfire in Enfield Lock yesterday (Tuesday 24th).

The blaze at Rammey Marsh near Mollison Avenue consumed around seven hectares of shrubland. Part of the incident was near to the M25 motorway, resulting in temporary lane closures to allow crews to extinguish the fire safely.

Ten fire engines and around 70 firefighters attended the scene, deploying a wildfire response vehicle to help extinguish the blaze. Th “agile” and lightweight vehicle is one of four being trialled by London Fire Brigade (LFB) this summer to help respond to grass fires and wildfires.

Wildfire beaters were also used. The beater is made of a long handle with a flat piece of rubber at the end. They’re used to beat the flames, which deprives them of oxygen and cools them down.

Control officers took the first of ten calls about the fire at 3.51pm and mobilised crews from Enfield, Edmonton, Barnet and surrounding fire stations to the scene, along with the wildfire response vehicle from Enfield Fire Station. Crews from Hertfordshire and Essex also attended. The fire was extinguished by 6.07pm.

While the cause of the fire has been recorded as undetermined, common causes for grass fires can include the use of disposable barbecues, unsafe disposal of smoking materials and discarded rubbish.

An LFB spokesperson said: “If you’re planning to enjoy the summer sunshine in a park or other open spaces, please don’t take a disposable barbecue with you. They pose a significant fire risk as the heat can be retained for many hours, even after a barbecue has been put out.

“It’s also important to make sure that smoking materials are discarded of properly and either dispose of your rubbish in the appropriate bins or take it home with you if none are available.”

With the Met Office predicting a greater chance of further heatwaves this summer, the brigade is also continuing its calls to landowners and local authorities to take action now to help protect communities from wildfires. This includes cutting back or ploughing grass, especially where it lies close to properties. These fire breaks can help slow down the spread of fire, as well as protecting people and their properties.

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