An area of grassland equivalent to two football pitches was damaged by fire in Orpington yesterday (July 24).

Just after 5pm London Fire Brigade (LFB) was called to a golf club on North End Lane, with units from Biggin Hill, Addington, and Woodside all scrambled.

Twenty-one firefighters attended the blaze, the cause of which is currently unknown, and brought it under control by around 6.30pm.

To help prevent grass fires LFB is asking the public to be vigilant during the current hot weather.

A spokesperson said: “Grass fires can easily be prevented if people just take extra care.

“A small spark from a cigarette is often all it takes to start a grass fire in these dry conditions so it really is important that smokers dispose of their cigarettes properly.

"Drivers also need to take care not to throw cigarettes out of car windows as they can easily burn grass verges.

"People barbecuing on open land should also make sure that they extinguish them properly when finished with.”