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Specialist action to tackle wildfires called upon by Mayor

Admin

August 21, 2025
3 min read

Specialist action to tackle wildfires called upon by Mayor

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, is calling for collective and specialist action to tackle the growing threat of wildfires in the capital. With temperatures rising in London over the summer months and the number of wildfires increasing, City Hall said “the Mayor is determined to do everything possible to ensure the capital is prepared for the ongoing impact of climate change, wildfires and extreme heat.”

This summer alone, the London Fire Brigade (LFB) has already responded to 64 wildfires, compared to just 19 in the entire summer of 2020. That is “a staggering” 237% increase. On 19^th July 2022, the London Fire Brigade experienced its busiest day since World War II due to wildfire and extreme heat related calls. Demand on LFB services has remained consistently high since then.

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Higher temperatures coupled with the below average-rainfall experienced so far this year mean that the risk of wildfires in London is currently considered as severe by the Natural Hazards Partnership. The Mayor is calling for better education for all Londoners, enhanced partnership work and sustainable funding for fire services to help keep everyone safe from wildfires.

With so many green spaces and parks in London bordering residential areas, the Mayor continues to work with the London Fire Brigade so they are prepared to prevent and deal with wildfires in another summer of extreme heat.

Thanks to record funding from the Mayor, the London Fire Brigade has invested in enhanced training and new equipment. This includes:

Drones which provide real-time aerial views to map fire spread and direct resources where they are needed most;
Specialised ‘Holey Hoses’ that create a curtain of water reaching up to two metres high when a fire is spreading across land, the hose will be deployed to protect life, property and wildlife;
New off-road 4X4 wildfire response vehicles capable of reaching fires quickly across difficult terrain, including grassland. These vehicles can extinguish fires on the move and be used to create firebreaks – using water to soak the ground to help stop fires from spreading further.
Specialist responders trained in wildfire dynamics and firefighting tactics.

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