Dozens of London firefighters tackle grass fire as 3rd heat wave of summer intensifies

LONDON

Around 70 firefighters are battling a grass fire on Wanstead Flats in east London as the capital endures a sweltering heat wave.

London Fire Brigade (LFB) said it has received more than 20 emergency calls about the fire, which broke out near Capel Road in Manor Park.

Ten fire engines, including a specialist “wildfire response vehicle”, have been sent to the scene.

The full scale of the blaze remains unclear, but residents in the area are being urged to take precautions.

The fire comes as large parts of England face amber health alerts, with temperatures surpassing 30C (86F) in several regions.

Alerts are in place for London, the South East, South West, East of England, West Midlands and East Midlands.

In a statement, the fire brigade warned that the combination of soaring temperatures and dry conditions is fueling the risk of fires across the city.

“As the weather has been so dry, it only takes a few sparks to lead to a fire spreading rapidly,” said an LFB spokesperson. “In London, this can be dangerous because so many of our green spaces lie close to homes and other properties.”

The ongoing heat wave has already prompted hosepipe bans affecting over 6 million people across parts of England, with restrictions expected to remain in place until further notice.

Amber alerts are set to remain in force until Monday, with forecasters predicting the hot weather will stretch through the weekend and into next week.

Water shortages are also becoming a growing concern.

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