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London Fire Brigade (LFB) has warned of the growing threat of wildfires after recording its busiest summer since the record-breaking heatwave of 2022.
Between June and August, LFB firefighters tackled around 83 wildfires across the capital. In total, 117 wildfires have been recorded so far in 2025 — more than double the number seen in 2023 and a 32% increase on 2024. While still below the 207 wildfires recorded in 2022, when temperatures reached 40°C, this year’s figures mark a sharp rise in activity.
The surge has prompted renewed calls for collective action, backed by Mayor of London Sadiq Khan and fire chiefs, to address the increasing risks posed by hotter, drier summers.
This summer, the LFB expanded its trial of specialist off-road wildfire response vehicles, which have already been deployed to around 50 incidents. The light, agile 4x4s allow crews to reach terrain inaccessible to standard fire engines, including woodland and heathland. The vehicles have also been sent beyond London, supporting Surrey Fire and Rescue Service and tackling a major incident at Langdale Moor in North Yorkshire.
The most severe incident in the capital occurred on 14 July, when 20 fire engines and around 125 firefighters were called to Dagenham during the third heatwave of the summer. Fire breaks installed in advance by the local council, in collaboration with LFB, played a key role in preventing flames from spreading to nearby homes. In total, 19 wildfires this year required at least six fire engines, including incidents at Wanstead Flats, Walthamstow Marshes, Rammey Marshes in Enfield, and Woolwich Common.
Mayor Khan praised firefighters’ efforts and highlighted the impact of investment from City Hall in new equipment, drones for real-time mapping, and specialist hoses designed to protect property and green spaces. He said the rise in wildfire activity was clearly linked to climate change and called for sustained public education and funding for fire services to reduce the risks in future years.
London Fire Commissioner Jonathan Smith also thanked Londoners for heeding safety advice, including avoiding disposable barbecues and carefully discarding cigarettes. But he stressed that more must be done to prepare for hotter, drier summers. He said lessons from 2022 had already shaped investments in new kit and training, but that long-term funding and planning would be essential to meet the challenge ahead.
While wildfires can occur naturally, LFB said many are the result of human behaviour. Since June, more than 80 fires across London’s grasslands, woodlands and parks have been recorded as deliberate. The Brigade warned that arson carries severe criminal penalties, and dry conditions increase the risk of small blazes rapidly escalating into major wildfires.
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