Alongside barbeques, the public is being urged not to light fires, and to dispose of litter such as cigarette butts and glass properly

Credit: City of London Corporation/London Fire Brigade

Visitors to Epping Forest have been reminded to take fire safety precautions this summer, with warm and sunny weather expected next week.

Elected Members leading the City of London Corporation’s open spaces, which includes Epping Forest, are urging the public not to use barbeques or light fires, and to dispose of litter such as cigarette butts and glass properly, to reduce the risk of fire and damage to wildlife.

It comes as a multi-agency training exercise, led by the London Fire Brigade (LFB), took place on Wanstead Flats yesterday which simulated an emergency response to a wildfire.

The incident was ‘played out’ as it would in real life, and the event showcased some of the Brigade’s latest equipment in tackling this type of emergency.

The City of London Corporation manages and protects over 11,000 acres of internationally important open space, many of which are charitable trusts and run at little or no cost to the communities that they serve.

They include important wildlife habitats, Special Areas of Conservation, Sites of Special Scientific Interest, and National Nature Reserves, and collectively attract over 47 million visitors every year.

Chairman of the City of London Corporation’s Epping Forest and Commons Committee, Ben Murphy, said: “Multi-agency training and educational exercises, like the one carried out at Wanstead Flats are vital to protect people, property and wildlife.

“It has shown how effectively our partners can respond should something like this happen in real life.

“And it puts into perspective the loss and damage that can be caused by wildfires, which is why barbeques are banned across our open spaces. Even litter, such as a carelessly discarded glass bottle, or a cigarette butt, has the potential to cause a severe fire, posing a danger to plant, animal, and human life.

“Our staff and volunteers work tirelessly to maintain more than 8,000 acres of ancient and historically significant Forest and we need the public’s cooperation to keep them safe.”

Keeley Foster, assistant Commissioner, London Fire Brigade said: “The wildfires that we experienced in London in 2022 were unprecedented and had a devastating impact on our open spaces and communities.

“Firefighters and colleagues across the Brigade demonstrated incredible bravery and determination to respond but it was an example of how firefighters are increasingly being challenged by new extremes of weather as the climate changes.

“We have learned from our response two years ago to make sure the Brigade is well-prepared to tackle this ever-growing risk head-on.

“New equipment including response vehicles and the Holey Hose, alongside enhanced training for firefighters, and the introduction of specialist roles at these incidents mean the Brigade is better equipped to respond if we do face extreme weather again this year.

“Preparedness and prevention is essential in helping to reduce the risk to our communities to prevent grass fires. That means not having barbecues in open spaces or on balconies, throwing rubbish away safely and not leaving broken bottles or glass on the ground and disposing of cigarettes properly.”

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