On Monday, London Fire Brigade's Control Officers had their busiest 24 hour period so far this year, taking 1251 calls in total to incidents across the capital. The last time the Brigade took as many calls was almost one year ago, on 08 July 2025. With more hot weather expected over the coming days and an elevated risk of wildfires as assessed by the Natural Hazards Partnership, the Brigade is asking Londoners to play their part in preventing incidents by taking extra care around parks, open spaces and waterways.
In the 24 hour period, Control Officers took:
- 92 calls to an outdoor fire on Newham Way in East Ham, responded to by four fire engines and around 25 firefighters.
- 59 calls to a fire at a roof garden on West Row in Kensal Town, responded to by four fire engines and around 25 firefighters.
- 33 calls to a fire involving an area of wooden hoarding and compost on Mast Street in Barking, responded to by two fire engines.
- 30 calls to a fire in a garden on Cressingham Road in Lewisham, responded to by three fire engines.
- 28 calls to a building fire on High Road in Wood Green, responded to by twelve fire engines and around 80 firefighters. Firefighters were on scene for 12 hours.
- 28 calls to a fire at a block of flats on Mulgrave Road in Woolwich, responded to by four fire engines and around 25 firefighters. Control Officers also provided fire survival guidance to residents of the flat on how to stay safe before crews arrived.
- 26 calls to a grass fire near Lakeland Road in Plumstead, responded to by four fire engines and around 25 firefighters.
- 14 calls to a fire at a house on Hercules Road in Lambeth North, responded to by six fire engines and around 40 firefighters.
- 11 calls to a fire at a house on Boyland Road in Bromley, responded to by four fire engines and around 25 firefighters.
- Nine calls to a fire at a beauty salon on Horns Road in Ilford, responded to by eight fire engines and around 60 firefighters. Firefighters were on scene for over 14 hours.
- Two calls to a fire at a house on Dawes Road in Fulham, responded to by four fire engines and around 25 firefighters.
- Two calls to a fire at a shop on Shrewsbury Road in East Ham, responded to by six fire engines and around 40 firefighters.
- One call to a fire at a block of flats on Portland Street in Old Kent Road, responded to by four fire engines and around 25 firefighters.
The high call volume already being experienced by the Brigade comes during another heatwave, which brings with it a heightened risk of wildfires in London and could lead more Londoners to cool off in waterways. In anticipation, the Brigade is asking Londoners to take extra care in the hot weather to keep themselves and others safe.
Assistant Commissioner for Operational Resilience and Control Patrick Goulbourne said: "In the last 24 hours, Control Officers took a record number of calls for 2026 so far, and I want to thank them for their efforts in keeping Londoners safe.
"Due to the heightened risks to Londoners during this period of hot weather, we are constantly monitoring where our resources need to be so we're ready to keep London safe in an emergency. We have also ensured that our specialist Terrain Support Vehicles are ready to tackle any fires in the open, and our water rescue capability is prepared for any emergency involving London's 370 miles of waterways.
"The Brigade is ready and prepared to respond to all types of incidents, but we urge everyone to play their part in preventing them. Wildfires, in particular, can take significant time and resources to resolve and can have devastating impacts on communities and livelihoods.”
If you’re planning to enjoy the weather over the coming days, either in a park or other open spaces, please don’t take a disposable BBQ with you. They pose a significant fire risk as the heat can be retained for many hours, even after a barbecue has been put out. It’s also important to make sure that smoking materials are discarded of properly and either dispose of your rubbish in the appropriate bins or take it home with you if none are available.
For those having a BBQ at home, avoid doing so on a balcony and ensure your BBQ is away from flammable materials like fences and sheds. You should also avoid setting up your BBQ on any decking you may have in your garden.
With many teenagers finished with their GCSE and A-Level exams, the Brigade is also calling on parents, teachers and guardians to make sure young people know how to stay safe around water. Since 2020 there have been over 100 accidental drownings across the capital, including the tragic death of a teenage boy at Royal Victoria Dock last week.
Assistant Commissioner Goulbourne continued: “In this weather, it can be tempting for children and young people to cool off in rivers, reservoirs and lakes. However, this can be incredibly dangerous.
“Many Londoners, including parents, are not aware that despite its calm surface, open water can have strong currents, hidden debris, slippery edges, and sudden drops in depth - all of which could prove fatal.
“If you are planning to swim outdoors, do so only in designated areas and ensure that lifeguards and safety equipment are present."
To support parents and guardians with speaking to children about the dangers of open water, the Brigade has launched an interactive water safety map showing the locations where firefighters have attended water-related incidents. The Brigade hopes that Londoners, particularly parents and guardians, use the map to identify high risk locations along waterways and talk to their children about the risks of swimming in these areas.
The map shows over 1,500 water-related incidents which were attended by the Brigade since 2020 and has several interactive features, including the ability to:
- Search for specific waterways, parks and other locations to see incidents in that area by year and incident type
- Filter by year to see how risk has changed over time
- Filter by hazard to see specific dangers at certain locations
What to do if you find yourself in trouble in water
- Rather than struggling, 'float to live'.
- Tilt your head back with your ears submerged and gently move your hands to help you stay afloat.
- Spread your arms and legs out – it's OK if your legs sink.
- Once your breathing is under control, call for help or swim to safety.