Homes evacuated as wildfire breaks out in east London

Several homes had to be evacuated in east London after a wildfire broke out on Monday.

London Fire Brigade (LFB) confirmed that 20 fire engines and around 125 firefighters were called to the scene behind Clemence Road in Dagenham at 6.30pm. In a statement, LFB said eight hectares of grass, shrubland and trees were destroyed, and nearby residents were told to leave as a precaution.

Footage captured by drones, and posted on X, showed the aftermath of the fire, with a large section of grassland turned to ash. Smoke could also be seen rising over still-smouldering areas where fire crews were continuing to spray water.

Station Commander Matt Hayward said: "The fire had reached some garden fences, sheds and garden furniture. As well as our jets, we used wildfire beaters to beat the flames and stop them from reaching the properties.

"We also thank Barking and Dagenham Council who had put fire breaks in place, which helped stop the fire from reaching the properties." A wildfire response vehicle, with specialist equipment to quickly tackle fire on open ground, was deployed. Two additional grass fire incidents also required LFB resources on Monday night in different parts of the capital.

Eight fire engines and around 60 firefighters were called at 8.10pm to a grass fire near Wingletye Lane in Hornchurch. Crews used beaters to extinguish the flames.

Around eight hectares of grassland were destroyed there. Meanwhile, a third grass fire on Walthamstow Marshes in northeast London reported at 8.55pm saw LFB deploy eight fire engines and around 60 firefighters.

In that incident, three hectares of grassland were destroyed. While no details were given about the potential cause of the fire, LFB warned that "it only takes a few sparks to lead to a fire spreading rapidly".

Read more from Sky News:John Torode denies MasterChef claimReform UK is on the marchEarly years education in crisis A spokesperson said in a statement: "If you're heading out, please don't take a disposable BBQ with you. Also make sure you are discarding of cigarettes properly and take rubbish home with you if no bins are available.

"At home, make sure your BBQ is positioned away from flammable items like fences, sheds, decking and trees and please don't have any type of BBQ on your balcony. "We're also strongly advising people to avoid burning any waste in this type of weather and to not have bonfires, particularly in their gardens." LFB added that all three fires are being investigated..