Royal Parks staff are following new safety measures as an ‘extra precaution’ as the fourth heatwave of the year looms
A major change will be made to a number of parks in London ahead of the next heatwave, which is due to reach its peak on Wednesday (July 28). Royal Parks, the charity which looks after many green spaces in London such as Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens, will be making changes as an “additional precaution” during the prolonged dry and hot weather.
Royal Parks staff have been advised not to leave deckchairs under trees over fears that branches will fall during hot weather. With the scorching temperatures expected again, people will, of course, be seeking the shade of the trees.
But a number of people have been injured or even killed by falling branches in parks across the UK in recent years, such as seven-year-old Leonna Ruka from Dagenham, who tragically died after a branch collapsed in a park in Southend, Essex, last year. A number of children were injured by a falling tree in Surrey earlier this month at a PGL Activity Centre near Hindhead.
Tree branches are more likely to fall after periods of high heat. A spokesperson for Royal Parks explained: “We are fully aware of ‘summer branch drop’, when trees can shed branches due to stress from prolonged dry, hot weather, particularly when periods of heat are interspersed with heavy rain. Managing a landscape with tens of thousands of trees is complex. While it is never possible to eliminate risk entirely, we take active measures to reduce it as far as possible.”
The organisation looks after eight parks and other public green spaces in London, including Richmond Park, Brompton Cemetery and Victoria Tower Gardens.
It added: “Our expert arboricultural teams carry out comprehensive, regular inspections, especially in areas with high public footfall and during periods of extreme or changeable weather. Where any risk is identified, we undertake essential tree maintenance, and as an additional precaution, we have instructed our deckchair concessionaires not to place deckchairs directly beneath tree canopies.”
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued an amber heat-health for the East Midlands, East of England, South East and London. The alert is in place from Tuesday to Thursday, and the agency warned that rising temperatures may increase health risks, particularly for vulnerable groups.
July has been 3C above average across the UK, according to provisional Met Office data on the month so far, potentially putting it among the hottest three or four months of July on record.
Elsewhere in London, firefighters tackled three separate grass fires across London on Monday, which led to four hectares of land damaged by blazes in one evening.
The fires occurred in Enfield, Bexley, and in Erith.
Assistant Commissioner of London Fire Brigade Pam Oparaocha said: “While we are fully prepared to respond, we need everyone to play their part in helping to prevent incidents.
“Wildfires in particular can spread rapidly, require significant resources and have devastating consequences for people, properties, wildlife and the environment.
“Wildfires can also have a lasting impact on the health of Londoners because of the smoke plumes that they produce.”
Ms Oparaocha advised people not to take disposable barbecues with them when visiting parks and open spaces.
The UK is braced for further wildfires, with an assessment from the Met Office showing fires could be exceptionally severe by Wednesday if they start in parts of London, the South East and eastern England, as a result of the hot, dry conditions.
