Firefighters call for barbecue ban in parks as fires spark 'major incident' warning amid 40C heatwave | The Sun
FIREFIGHTERS have pleaded with the public not to fire up barbecues in parks after issuing a major incident warning as huge blazes erupted today.
It comes as a 40C heatwave continues to fry the country, with Brits flocking to beaches and green spaces to bask in the sunshine.
But London's Fire Commissioner has now called for a barbecue ban after being called out to more than 1,000 grass and open land fires since the start of June.
As temperatures soared to 40.2C today hundreds of firefighters have been tackling blazes across the UK.
London Fire Brigade has declared a major incident as they battle to put wildfires out in the capital.
Several homes have been left severely damaged including one completely destroyed after a blaze broke out in the village of Wennington, East London.
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Fire Commissioner Andy Roe has now written to all London authorities to ask for their support in a temporary ban of disposable barbecues in all public parks and open spaces.
According to the fire service, barbecues are one of the most common causes of grass and open land blazes.
Many councils already have localised bans in place, but Commissioner Roe has asked for support city-wide.
He said in a letter: “With no end to the hot weather in sight, I am deeply concerned that the unprecedented scale of these fires is set to continue, putting lives at risk as well as devastating green spaces around the capital.
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“London Fire Brigade has been issuing warnings and safety advice to Londoners throughout the summer, but people are continuing to behave carelessly and recklessly.
“I am now calling for a temporary ban on the use of barbecues in all public parks and open spaces and I’m asking for your help to keep people safe.”
It comes as Brits soak up what could be the UK's hottest day since records began as temperatures soared to 40.2C, provisional Met Office forecasts suggest.
The mercury at London Heathrow rose above the UK's previous all-time high of 38.7C recorded in Cambridge in 2019, the agency said.
The Met Office also recorded temperatures of other 40C in Coningsby, Lincs, and Kew Gardens in West London.
Records first began in 1910, with the Met Office responsible for keeping track of temperatures ever since.
The record applies only to the UK, with today's 40.2C dwarfed by the world-record 56.7C recorded in California in 1913.
UP IN FLAMES
But the heatwave is due to end tomorrow with a yellow warning in place for thunderstorms across London and parts of the South East.
It comes as around 100 firefighters are working to extinguish the flames as dramatic pictures show black smoke rising through a housing estate.
Adjoining grassland has also caught fire with nearby fields left completely destroyed by the inferno.
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said the major incident is “in response to a huge surge in fires across the capital today”.
In Croydon, South London, two separate fires are being tackled.
Around 60 firefighters are in woodland on Oaks Road where a blaze erupted this afternoon with a further four fire engines on the scene of a grass fire in Chapel View.
Around three hectares of grassland has gone up in flames in Upminster, East London, with 175 firefighters on the scene.
The fire has spread to nearby Rainham with residents now being evacuated from their homes.
The smoke is also blowing over the M25 with motorists urged to remain vigilant while driving.
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London Fire Brigade is also dealing with blazes in Pinner, Southgate, Dagenham, Wembley, Eltham and Hendon.
Elsewhere, smoke was seen rising over Dartford in Kent is also after a fire broke out near the A2.
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