The London Fire Brigade is calling on residents, councils, and landowners to ‘spring clean’ gardens and communal spaces by removing dry vegetation and creating fire breaks to slow the spread of potential fires, writes Leidson Moreno Gomes

Londoners are being urged to take action ahead of summer as the London Fire Brigade warns of a sharp rise in grass fires across the capital.

New figures reveal that 122 wildfires were recorded by August 2025 – more than double the number seen in 2023 – highlighting a growing risk linked to hotter, drier weather.

While outer London boroughs have seen the highest number of incidents, areas like Waltham Forest and Tower Hamlets are not immune, particularly in parks, estates, and green spaces close to homes.

London presents one of the most challenging urban environments in the world for a fire and rescue service. Just under half of the capital is considered green space, but the risk is heightened because many of these areas sit close to homes and businesses. Fires in dry grass can spread rapidly, particularly in windy conditions, and can quickly threaten nearby properties.

Those responsible for managing these green spaces are being asked to take preventative steps ahead of the summer. This includes creating fire breaks by cutting and removing grass or, in some cases, ploughing earth to remove flammable vegetation.

The Brigade is calling on residents, councils, and landowners to “spring clean” gardens and communal spaces by removing dry vegetation and creating fire breaks to slow the spread of potential fires.

Between 2022 and 2025, outer London boroughs recorded over 6,000 grass fires compared to fewer than 1,800 in inner London, showing how quickly risks can escalate.

In summer 2025 alone, firefighters attended around 88 wildfires in just three months. With forecasts predicting warmer-than-average temperatures again this year, experts warn that without early preventative action, similar or worse figures could be seen – putting homes, green spaces, and communities across London at increasing risk.

London Fire Brigade wrote to local authorities last summer to ask them to create firebreaks in their outdoor spaces to help reduce the risk of grass fires spreading.

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