Heatwave: urgent health and fire risk warning
Hackney Council is reminding residents to stay safe, to protect others, and to keep the borough safe, following a heat warning, issued by the Met Office.
Temperatures are expected to build and reach up to 35C in London this week.
Barbecuing is not allowed in our parks or open spaces. Don’t do it, especially now conditions are so hot and dry. This can cause a serious fire, risking lives, properties and wildlife. There has already been one fire in a Hackney park during the last heatwave.
London Fire Brigade is urging people to to be extra careful when visiting green spaces
Do not:
- Drop cigarettes
- Leave glass bottles
- Discard used matches
If you see smouldering, call: 999
Barbecuing is not allowed on balconies. This could cause a fire to your home and block - putting yourself, your family and your neighbours at risk. Balconies need to be kept free from all combustible materials to reduce the risk of fire.
How to stay safe and cool
Very hot temperatures can pose a serious health risk, even for fit and healthy people. It’s vital to protect yourself and others, particularly young children or older people.
Keep yourself and others safe in the heat by doing the following:
- Drink plenty of fluids and avoid excess alcohol
- Try to keep out of the sun between 11am and 3pm
- If outside, walk in the shade, apply sunscreen and wear a wide-brimmed hat
- Avoid physical exertion during the hottest parts of the day
- Make sure you take water with you if you are travelling
- Look out for those who may struggle to keep themselves cool and hydrated. Older people, those with underlying conditions and those who live alone are particularly at risk
- Close curtains in rooms that face the sun to keep indoor spaces cooler, and remember, it may be cooler outdoors than indoors
- Never leave anyone in a closed, parked vehicle, especially infants, young children, vulnerable adults, or animals
Help for vulnerable during heatwave
The Council is helping residents, and particularly our most vulnerable, to stay safe over the coming days following the heat warning from the Met Office.
Here’s what the Council is doing to help keep residents safe:
- Providing advice, water and sunscreen to rough sleepers
- Checking on vulnerable residents
- Placing additional ‘fire watches’ is in place in parks and open spaces.
Temperatures are going to get very high over the coming days so I’m urging people to take care: stay cool and hydrated, and help keep others safe too.
As this also follows a sustained period of hot and dry weather it means our parks are at significant risk of fire.
Therefore I am also urging residents to help protect our borough by not barbecuing in our open spaces and by not barbecuing on balconies.
Please keep listening to the NHS and Met Office advice.
Council teams are preparing for the extreme heat by stepping up support for vulnerable residents, such as our rough sleepers, and they will be carrying out welfare calls to those we know might be at risk. Council services will also be working really hard to ensure services to residents are unaffected.
