Drone footage taken above Feltham shows the devastation caused by a grass fire during the heatwave.
The yellow grass in Leitrim Park, at the rear of Wigley Road, caught fire on Thursday (July 5) shortly after 5pm.
The fire destroyed around two hectares of grassland from the park, the equivalent of two rugby pitches of grass. The fire also burned straight through a garden fence neighbouring the park.
It took four engines and 21 firefighters well over an hour to get the blaze under control. London Fire Brigade says it is the second grass fire crews attended in the area in the space of a week, with a hectare of grass and shrub land damaged in Crane Park on Tuesday (July 3).
Drone footage from High Up Productions shows high white smoke rising over the park. Later, the very large dark patches are visible where grassland has been completely burnt, surrounded by yellow grass.
The very hot, dry weather that the UK has been experiencing for the last fortnight has been blamed for an increase in the number of grass and moorland fires across the country.
Two fires in the Greater Manchester area had been raging for weeks in moorlands. More than 100 soldiers were required to help efforts at Saddleworth Moor, which is being treated as arson. Two people have already been arrested in connection with a fire in Winter Hill, Bolton.
A spokesperson for the London Fire Brigade said: “Grass fires can be started deliberately or accidentally, but however they start, they can cause huge damage to property and kill wildlife.
“In this prolonged hot spell, a small spark from a cigarette is often all it takes to start a grass fire in such dry conditions. It really is important that smokers dispose of their cigarettes properly.
"Another common way that these fires start is from glass bottles which can concentrate the suns rays onto dry grass and shrubbery.”
With the hot weather expected to continue, London Fire Brigade has issued the following advice for people in relation to grass fires:
- Never leave camp fires or barbecues unattended and extinguish them properly after you have finished using them;
- Clear away bottles, glasses and any broken glass to avoid them magnifying the sun and starting a fire;
- Dispose of smoking materials such as cigarettes safely; and
- Explain to children the dangers of playing with and lighting fires.
If you see a grass fire, don't attempt to put it out yourself as grass fires can travel very quickly and change direction without warning. Call 999, ask for the fire brigade and let them know where the fire is.
