Fire Chief urges residents to be extra careful during heatwave.

Havering Fire Chief Borough Commander Paul McClenaghan is urging residents to be particularly careful during this heatwave.

With temperatures hitting high 30’s and even possibly 40c, our firefighters have had to deal with endless fires across Havering and the capital, many of which could have been avoided if people had been careful.

Paul told the Havering Daily: “We are advising residents that if they do decide to have a BBQ, please make sure you are using a properly built one, that you fully extinguish it when you have finished and have properly disconnected the gas canisters.”

Parks and grass lands are currently so dry that fires across the borough have been breaking out repeatedly.

Paul continued: “Please do not drop glass on the floor. Glass magnifies the heat and starts fires. Be mindful of your rubbish outside, glass next to cardboard could very easily catch alight.

“Do not drop cigarette ends out of car windows or on the floor as many are not properly put out and with this heat are starting fires.

“Be mindful of what you have on your windowsill indoors.Items that are glass or crystal are again magnifying the heat and could start fires.”

Last week we saw numerous fires across Havering particularly across Rainham.

“Our firefighters are working very long hours tackling fires at the moment. They are wearing a full kit in these extremely hot temperatures and often breathing in many of these fumes.

“Fires are spreading very quickly due to the heat and the extremely dry conditions.”

Please adhere to the advice given by our fire chief. Our firefighters are working long hours tackling endless fires, wearing heavy kits and frequently inhaling dangerous fumes.

Let’s do our bit to support them when we can.