London Fire Brigade Station Commander David MacDonald explains more about some of the things visitors to Alexandra Palace can do to help protect the Park in the hot weather…

The recent grass fires and record temperatures we have seen in London are an example of how we are increasingly being challenged by new extremes of weather as our climate changes.

As Station Commander at Hornsey Fire Station, Alexandra Palace is right on our doorstep. It’s incredibly important for us to be able to learn lessons and adapt to be able to keep the area safe from all the new challenges that we face. If you’ve visited the park recently, you may have noticed our crews there, engaging with the public and talking to them about why it’s so vital that Londoners heed our advice and help to protect the capital’s parks and green spaces.

Disposable barbecues are one of the most common causes of grass and open land blazes. They pose a significant fire risk if they are not put out properly, causing grass fires in open spaces and scorching the grassed areas. The dry spell we’ve had has left grassland like a tinderbox and increases the chances of a fire caused by a disposable barbecue.

London’s Fire Commissioner Andy Roe has already written to local authorities asking for a temporary ban on the use of barbecues in all public parks and open spaces. We’re very grateful to councils and parks, like Alexandra Palace, who have put bans in place in public places but we now feel disposable barbecues need to be taken off the shelves to help prevent widespread blazes like we’ve seen in recent weeks.

As well as heeding advice on barbecues, people can also help by ensuring they are making sure their cigarettes are always properly disposed of and that rubbish, especially glass, is safely thrown away as they can start flames by magnifying the sun’s rays. After so much dry weather, even the tiniest of sparks can easily cause a significant fire.

We’re not trying to take the fun out of the warm summer days, which we know some people will be enjoying, but it is a very serious situation. For the sake of our city – and of our firefighters who have to work in sweltering temperatures to tackle these blazes – we’d really like people to take our advice on board.

Grass fires can be particularly dangerous because dry grassland can burn and spread very quickly. If dry grass is smouldering, call 999 immediately so that firefighters can act as fast as possible to prevent flames from spreading.

Grass fire prevention tips:

• Don’t have barbecues in parks, public spaces or on balconies.
• Clear away bottles, glasses and any broken glass to avoid them magnifying the sun and starting a fire.
• Dispose of smoking materials such as cigarettes safely – don’t drop cigarettes on dry ground and don’t drop them out of car windows, as they may land on dry grass and lead to a fire.