‘It could have been a second Great Fire’: how east London blaze showed scale of UK wildfire threat
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- Wennington fire on 19 July 2022 destroyed 18 homes in the village and was part of a record 600 wildfires that burned 70 houses across the UK.
- London Fire Brigade deployed all 142 fire engines, ran out of crews and hoses, and incident commanders publicly appealed for additional resources.
- London Fire Brigade has since mandated wildfire training for all crews, purchased all‑terrain vehicles and giant sprinklers, and called for more investment to meet future threats.
- Sami Goldbrom, LFB group commander, warned that stronger winds could have caused far greater destruction, highlighting the risk of fires crossing the rural‑urban interface in dense London.
- London Fire Brigade firefighters reported their protective suits became soaked with sweat in the 40 °C heat, describing the experience as being "cooked" while fighting the blaze.
Why it matters: London residents and insurers face higher risk and costs as the fire brigade seeks extra funding and equipment to combat increasingly frequent wildfires threatening dense urban areas.
