More than 200 firefighters battled three separate grass fires across east London on Monday evening, with one blaze covering over eight hectares (20 acres).

In Dagenham, residents were temporarily evacuated as flames spread rapidly through grass, shrubland, trees, fences, and garden furniture near Beam Parklands. The largest of the three fires required around 125 firefighters to bring it under control as it edged dangerously close to nearby homes.

Station Commander Matt Hayward said crews "worked extremely hard to prevent the fire from spreading to nearby properties," with some garden fences, sheds, and outdoor furniture already affected. Firefighters used jets and wildfire beaters to halt the advance of the flames, while fire breaks installed by the local council played a crucial role in containing the incident.

Elsewhere, wildfire beaters were used to extinguish another significant fire at Wingletye Lane in Hornchurch, which scorched approximately eight hectares (20 acres) of grassland. A third fire at Walthamstow Marshes was also brought under control later that evening.

The London Fire Brigade (LFB) confirmed all three fires have now been extinguished, though investigations into their causes are ongoing. Officials warned that with continued warm and dry weather, this summer could present further challenges.

“Three wildfires in one evening is a lot for our crews, but not unheard of,” an LFB spokesperson said. “All of our firefighters have been receiving additional wildfire response training in preparation for what could be another difficult summer.”

The brigade urged Londoners to act responsibly to help prevent further incidents. Given the dry conditions, even a small spark could rapidly ignite surrounding grass and vegetation, posing a serious risk in areas where green spaces border homes and properties.

Authorities specifically reminded the public not to use disposable barbecues in parks, fields, or on wooden decking in private gardens, emphasizing the heightened fire danger during this period. Photo by eddiedangerous, Wikimedia commons.