The London Fire Brigade sent 60 firefighters in eight fire engines to extinguish a grass fire near Commonside East, Mitcham, this afternoon (Thursday, August 13). Around one hectare of shrubs and grassland was alight. Crews used wildfire beaters, which consist of long handles with a flat piece of rubber at the end. They’re used to beat the flames, which deprives them of oxygen and cools them down. The cause of the fire is thought to be a disposable barbecue.
Prime Minister's Warning on Disposable BBQs
It comes as Prime Minister Andy Burnham has toyed with the idea of banning disposable barbecues during the summer months, having urged retailers to halt sales during hot periods. He urged “all retailers big and small” to pull the barbecues from their shelves as he warned extreme heat conditions “could be with us for some weeks yet”.
His comments came after chairing a meeting of the Government’s emergency Cobra committee in response to the prolonged spell of exceptionally hot and dry weather. England and Wales have already seen as many wildfires this year as in the whole of 2025.
Record Wildfire Numbers and Retail Response
Some 1,017 wildfires have been recorded in England and Wales this year, according to data shared by the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC), the same as last year’s record-breaking total. Most major UK supermarkets have suspended sales of disposable barbecues in recent weeks in line with voluntary guidance from the NFCC.
Today was the UK’s hottest day of the year so far with a provisional temperature of 38.1C recorded in Kew Gardens, surpassing the previous high of 38C on June 28, the Met Office said.
London Fire Brigade's Safety Appeal
A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said: "If you’re planning to enjoy the warmer weather over the coming days either in a park or other open spaces, please don’t take a disposable BBQ with you! As this incident sadly proves they pose a significant fire risk - along with poorly disposed of cigarettes. The heat from a disposable BBQ can be retained for many hours, even after we think we have put out a barbecue safely. Smoking materials need to be discarded of properly and either dispose of your rubbish in the appropriate bins or take it home with you if none are available."
The Brigade was first called about the incident at 1.46pm, and mobilised crews from Mitcham, Norbury, Wimbledon and other surrounding fire stations to the scene. The fire was under control by 2.51pm.
