Firefighters attended a total of 55,838 incidents across the capital between May and August, the brigade’s busiest summer in the last five years
The London Fire Brigade experienced one of the busiest summers in its history, with firefighters attending 209 wildfires, and control officers taking around 100,000 emergency calls between May and August 2026.
According to the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC), a grass fire becomes a wildfire when at least one hectare of grassland or vegetation is (10,000 square metres) is ablaze.
Firefighters attended a total of 55,838 incidents across the capital during the four-month period, which was the highest total recorded between May and August in the last five years and more than 20 per cent higher than in 2022, when London experienced extreme heat and some of its most significant wildfires.
Between May and August, firefighters attended 2,911 grassland, woodland and crop fires, while control officers received 8,783 calls relating to these incidents.higher than last summer.
The Brigade’s busiest operational day of 2026 came on Wednesday, 29th July, when control officers handled more than 1,300 emergency calls. The exceptionally busy day included 63 separate grass fires, with twelve incidents requiring more than four fire engines. The longest single incident lasted just over twelve hours.
The summer also saw a significant number of water-related incidents across London. Firefighters attended 340 water-related incidents between May and August, including ten drownings, some involving young people. This is more than 22% higher than last year, when firefighters attended 279 water-related incidents and recorded eight drownings.
Deputy assistant commissioner for control Joanne Smith said: “Our control officers have faced an exceptional level of demand this summer, with almost 100,000 emergency calls taken between May and August.
“The sheer volume and sustained nature of the demand has required our teams to make dynamic decisions throughout the day, constantly assessing where the greatest risks were and how best to deploy our resources.
“We were also able to share our expertise and capacity with colleagues around the country when they were facing similar pressures, helping to ensure that risk-critical calls could continue to be answered and resources deployed where they were needed most.
“Our control officers have worked incredibly hard throughout what has been an exceptionally challenging summer, and I want to thank them for their professionalism and commitment.”
Mayor of London, Sir Sadiq Khan, said: “On behalf of London I want to thank our brave firefighters and staff who have worked around the clock, under extraordinary pressure, to keep our city safe.
“City Hall’s record investment in London Fire Brigade has ensured that it is now better prepared, organised and equipped to fight wildfires.
“But this summer has shown that the climate crisis is on our doorstep right now and will continue to be a threat to our city. With hotter summers becoming a growing reality in London, I’m determined to do everything I can to ensure the capital is as prepared as possible for the impact of climate change, wildfires and extreme heat.
That’s why I’ve published the capital’s first ever heat plan in partnership with London Councils, which sets out a long-term roadmap for adapting to increasing heat risk over the coming decades and getting all partners to work closer together to meet new challenges and build a safer and more resilient London for everyone.”
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