Garden wildfire alert: Fire chiefs issue plea to Londoners not to start blazes as dangers peak

Fire chiefs are warning Londoners not to start blazes in their gardens amid heightened dangers that wildfires could spread rapidly.A forest fire raging in the Gironde department of south west FranceAFP/GettyTemperatures are forecast to jump towards 33C in the capital on Wednesday, a peak for the week, before starting to cool.London Fire Brigade Assistant Commissioner Tom Goodall said: “We want everyone across the city to enjoy the continuing heatwave but this must be done responsibly.“The latest wildfire risk assessment indicates that if grass fires were to break out, the chance of them spreading more rapidly due to the weather conditions is greater.”The LFB is concerned that fires could start in people’s gardens, possibly due to a badly-handled or poorly-placed BBQ.Mr Goodall explained: “The long period of dry weather has increased the fire risk in people's gardens. “For those having a BBQ at home, ensure your BBQ is away from flammable materials like dry brush, long grasses, fences or sheds and avoid setting up your BBQ on any decking you may have in your garden.” Properties and gardens in Shernhall Street and Vallentin Road were badly damaged by a major fire in WalthamstowThe StandardBarbecues should be set up “on level ground”, he stressed and should not be used in parks or open spaces, or on balconies.Read MoreRoyal Parks staff have also been advised not to leave deckchairs under trees over fears branches may fall.Buckingham Palace wildfire threatPA/GettyThe organisation, which looks after green spaces including Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens and Richmond Park in south west London, said it has taken the deckchair measure as an “additional precaution” during the prolonged dry and hot weather.A Royal Parks spokesperson said: “We are fully aware of ‘summer branch drop’, when trees can shed branches due to stress from prolonged dry, hot weather, particularly when periods of heat are interspersed with heavy rain.“Managing a landscape with tens of thousands of trees is complex.“While it is never possible to eliminate risk entirely, we take active measures to reduce it as far as possible.”A herd of red deer graze in Richmond Park, south west LondonAFP/GettyThe UK Health Security Agency has issued an amber heat-health for London, the South East, the East Midlands, and East of England.The alert is in place from Tuesday to Thursday, and the agency warned that rising temperatures may increase health risks, particularly for vulnerable groups.