Open spaces chiefs urge visitors not to use barbeques or light fire

Visitors to some of London and southeast England’s most popular open spaces are being reminded to stay safe this summer and take extra precautions in hot weather, following the warmest May and spring on record. Elected Members leading the City of London Corporation’s open spaces, which include Epping Forest, Hampstead Heath, and West Ham Park, are urging the public not to use barbeques or light fires, and to dispose of litter such as cigarette butts and glass properly, to reduce the risk of fire and damage to wildlife.

It comes as a multi-agency training exercise, led by the London Fire Brigade, took place on Wanstead Flats yesterday which simulated an emergency response to a wildfire. The incident was ‘played out’ as it would in real life, and the event showcased some of the Brigade’s latest equipment in tackling this type of emergency.

The City of London Corporation manages and protects over 11,000 acres of internationally important open space, many of which are charitable trusts and run at little or no cost to the communities that they serve. They include important wildlife habitats, Special Areas of Conservation, Sites of Special Scientific Interest, and National Nature Reserves, and collectively attract over 47 million visitors every year.

“Multi-agency training and educational exercises, like the one carried out at Wanstead Flats are vital to protect people, property and wildlife,” Chairman of the City of London Corporation’s Epping Forest and Commons Committee, Ben Murphy, said. “It has shown how effectively our partners can respond should something like this happen in real life. And it puts into perspective the loss and damage that can be caused by wildfires, which is why barbeques are banned across our open spaces. Even litter, such as a carelessly discarded glass bottle, or a cigarette butt, has the potential to cause a severe fire, posing a danger to plant, animal, and human life. Our staff and volunteers work tirelessly to maintain more than 8,000 acres of ancient and historically significant Forest and we need the public’s cooperation to keep them safe.”