Extra firefighters as Londoners told not to have barbecues

The latest warning follows the driest July for 87 years

Extra firefighters will be available ahead of another stretch of hot weather, London Fire Brigade says.

Amber weather warnings have been issued with temperatures expected to hit 37C.

Up to 12 extra staff will be drafted in to its control room to deal with an increased volume of calls, according to deputy assistant commissioner Joanne Smith.

She said: "We're asking for the public really to help us and be extra vigilant with these tinderbox conditions."

The warning comes two weeks after the fire service called for a ban on disposable barbecues.

"We're asking for [people] not to have their disposable barbecues in open spaces," she added.

Deputy assistant commissioner Joanne Smith: "Be careful when you have a cigarette"

"If you're having a barbecue at home, make sure that pets and children are not playing games where you can knock the barbecue over because these conditions really mean that what fire catches and will spread very quickly.

"Be careful when you have a cigarette and make sure it's extinguished properly."

On 19 July, the busiest day last month, there were 3,000 calls - well above the daily average of 900.

Staff training has been cancelled and voluntary overtime is being offered to crews during the next week.

Extra staff have been drafted in to the control room in south London

Across the week of record-breaking temperatures, LFB took 8,302 calls and attended 3,231 incidents.

• London Fire Brigade needs improving, says watchdog

• Busiest day since WW2 for London firefighters

• London wildfires absolute hell, firefighters say

Firefighters tackled 340 grass, rubbish and open land fires in first week of August, compared to 42 such fires in same week last year, LFB figures show.

It follows the driest July since 1935.

LFB had just three engines left during the peak of last month's heatwave response

Last month a watchdog found LFB needed improvement by every measure it is assessed on.

However, its response times - six minutes and 24 seconds on average in the year to 31 March 2021 - were the second fastest in the country.

Follow BBC London on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [e-mail]