Firefighters are also warning that only a small spark can start a large fire and blazes can still happen even when it’s not too hot outside.
Darren Share, Director of Parks for The Royal Parks charity, which manages Richmond and Bushy Parks, says:
“The weather in London is glorious this week and we are enjoying seeing lots of people spending time in the parks, but it’s important to remember that spring is the peak season for wildfires.
“The Met Office has issued an amber warning for wildfires covering London and we are urging all visitors to take extra precautions.
“We are reminding visitors to not bring a barbecue to the parks, to dispose of cigarette butts properly and to take litter home or place it in bins, as glass bottles increase the risks of fire.
“Wildfires depend on a combination of available fuel, (vegetation, especially if dry), fire weather conditions, (fire is more likely to spread in high winds, for example) and an ignition source (usually caused by people’s behaviour).
“Although most people typically equate the height of summer with the risk of fires, spring carries a significant risk due to the abundance of dry and dead vegetation which serves as readily available fuel. Currently there is a greater risk than normal due to March being one of the driest on record, and there being no predicted rain for the early part of April.”
