Grass fires

During hot weather there is an increased risk of grass fires. Thousands of acres of countryside, open spaces and wildlife habitat are destroyed in this way each year. There are fire safety guidelines you can follow to help prevent fires in open areas.

Every year in London there are around 15,000 grass fires. Some of these are started accidentally but a large number are either started deliberately or through careless or thoughtless behaviour.

Many are caused by careless disposal of smoking materials or discarded glass bottles which concentrate the sun's rays. Cigarettes being thrown from a car window can also ignite dry grass verges.

By following a few simple rules you can enjoy the hot weather and help stop fires starting:

• Dispose of smoking materials properly and make sure they are completely extinguished.
• Don't leave camp fires or barbecues unattended and extinguish them properly after you have finished using them.
• Explain to children the dangers of playing with and lighting fires.
• Clear away bottles, glasses and any broken glass to avoid them magnifying the suns rays to start a fire.

If fire breaks out, call the fire brigade immediately. Sometimes it can be hard to give the location for an open area, so mention any local landmarks such as a pub or a church.

Do not attempt to put out the fire yourself unless it is very small. Grass and crop fires can travel very quickly and change direction without warning. If you can, stay around so that you can direct firefighters to the scene, but only if it is safe to do so.

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