Four fire engines and around 25 firefighters were called to a grass fire on Cedars Avenue at the junction with Commonside East in Mitcham.
Around 2500 squared metres of grass shrubland was destroyed by fire.
The Brigade's 999 Control officers received their first call about the fire at 1507. They deployed crews from Mitcham, Peckham, Croydon and New Malden fire stations. The fire was under control by 1618.
Brigade’s top tips on preventing grass fires:
- Avoid having barbecues in parks, public spaces and balconies.
- Clear away bottles, glasses and any broken glass to avoid them magnifying the sun and starting a fire.
- Take rubbish home with you if there are no bins are available.
- 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.
- Don’t take a disposable BBQ out with you. They can retain heat for several hours after use and are banned by local authorities from many of London's parks.