As London swelters in an ‘unprecedented’ fifth heatwave this summer – with forecasters predicting highs of 36C today – the Mayor of London is calling on all Londoners to do their bit to ease demand on emergency services.
The impacts of climate change continue to be felt in the capital, across the UK and Europe, with extreme temperatures and dangerous wildfires putting lives at risk.
London’s once-green grasslands have been left tinderbox dry as a result of its third drought in the last five years, with the capital under another Amber Heat Health Alert, hosepipe bans in place and grassfires now a daily reality.
The Mayor is delivering record funding to ensure the London Fire Brigade is better equipped to safely fight wildfires – providing £8.9 million in additional funding this financial year.
This investment is delivering wildfire response vehicles, drones, specialist hoses and backpack blowers to protect people, property and green spaces.
Firefighters are working around the clock and continue to face extreme pressure in the capital. Last Wednesday 5th August the London Fire Brigade Control Officers received over 1,000 emergency calls, including more than 200 calls to grass fires in one day.
Long periods of hot, dry weather in the capital mean that it only takes a spark to cause a fire and whilst wildfires can start naturally, the majority of fires are started deliberately or accidentally by members of the public. Many of these wildfires have threatened homes, workplaces, infrastructure and the environment. These wildfires have had a severe impact on national rail services and led to evacuations and road closures.
The London Fire Brigade received a record total of 27,580 emergency calls last month – more than the previous record in July 2022 of 24,573 calls. Firefighters attended 13,626 incidents In July, marking the busiest month for the service in four years and one of the busiest on record.
The Mayor’s record investment in London Fire Brigade has ensured that it is now better prepared, organised and equipped to fight wildfires and keep all Londoners safe. This includes improved training, new specialist wildfire response vehicles and the use of drones, specialist hoses and backpack blowers designed to protect people, property and green spaces. These improvements are helping to ensure the Brigade is able to meet the surge in demand it is experiencing during successive heatwaves but all Londoners need to play their part in easing demand.
The prolonged heat is also putting sustained pressure on the London Ambulance Service, which received more than 403,000 emergency calls in June and July, 25,000 more than the same period last year.
During the June heatwave, London Ambulance Service received more than 53,000 emergency calls, surpassing demand seen during the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic. The Service deployed 600 additional ambulance crews across London to care for patients, including those with cardiac arrests and patients who had stopped breathing as well as those whose conditions became life-threatening in the heat. If you are struggling in the heat, you can go online for NHS heatwave health advice or call NHS 111 to discuss your symptoms. Anyone who is experiencing a medical emergency should still call 999.
As well as risk of wildfires, the prolonged hot weather is bringing further challenges with people getting into difficulty swimming in open water. Open-water swimming, is only encouraged in locations where it is safe and appropriate to do so. The Mayor has always been clear that many of London’s waterways are not suitable for swimming.
The tidal Thames, for example, has strong currents, cold water and heavy river traffic and is not a safe place to swim. Between May and July, firefighters attended 28 incidents involving rescues from waterways. Since 2020, there have been more than 100 accidental drownings in London, including two teenagers who tragically drowned this summer. That is why improving water-safety understanding is a key part of the Mayor’s Clean Rivers and Waterways Plan, with a particular focus on young Londoners.
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