Rainham Wildfire: Drone Images Show Ingrebourne Hill Fire Damage in 2026

Key Points

• Drone footage has shown the extent of damage to grassland on Ingrebourne Hill, Rainham, after a wildfire on Saturday 25 July 2026.
• Around 10 hectares (roughly 10 acres) of grass and shrubland were destroyed in the blaze.
• The London Fire Brigade (LFB) received its first of more than 20 calls at 5.02pm and sent 10 fire engines with around 70 firefighters from stations including Barking, Romford, East Ham and Dagenham.
• The fire was brought under control by 8.56pm; no injuries were reported.
• About 35 residents on nearby Palmerston Road were evacuated as a precaution while the fire spread.
• The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Rainham (East London Times) July 28, 2026 –Rainham, a community in east London close to the Thames Estuary, saw a significant grass fire break out on Saturday afternoon, 25 July 2026, on and around Ingrebourne Hill. According to the London Fire Brigade, the first emergency call came in at 5.02pm, prompting a large-scale response that ultimately involved 10 fire engines and approximately 70 firefighters drawn from Barking, Romford, East Ham, Dagenham and surrounding stations. By 8.56pm, the incident was under control, with crews remaining to dampen down the area and prevent re-ignition.

As reported by the Thurrock Gazette, drone-captured images have since revealed charred patches across the hillside, illustrating the footprint of the blaze across roughly 10 hectares of grassland and scrub.

The London Evening Standard similarly described “huge areas” of the country park reduced to “charred earth” after the fire, with video footage showing flames moving through the grassland.

How large was the fire and how many firefighters responded?

The London Fire Brigade said around 10 hectares of grass and shrubland were destroyed. In its incident reporting, the LFB noted that control room officers mobilised crews from multiple stations after receiving more than 20 calls from the public reporting smoke and flames. Ten fire engines attended, with around 70 firefighters on scene at the peak of operations.

Were there any injuries or evacuations?

There were no reports of injuries from the incident, according to the LFB. However, as reported by the Thurrock Gazette, around 35 residents on Palmerston Road were evacuated as a precaution while the fire spread near their homes.

The evacuation was a safety measure taken while firefighters worked to contain the blaze and protect nearby properties.

What do the drone images show?

As reported by the Thurrock Gazette, aerial images taken by drone show visible charred areas across Ingrebourne Hill, with darkened swaths marking where grassland burned.

The London Evening Standard also published video showing flames tearing through the grassland, and described the aftermath as large areas of the park “reduced to charred earth”.

The imagery underscores the scale of the burn across the hillside, consistent with the LFB’s estimate of around 10 hectares affected.

When was the fire brought under control?

The London Fire Brigade stated that the fire was under control by 8.56pm on Saturday 25 July. Crews remained at the scene afterwards to dampen down surrounding grassland and reduce the risk of the fire restarting.

What is the suspected cause of the Rainham wildfire?

The cause of the fire is under investigation, the LFB has said. No official cause has been confirmed at this stage.

What wider context is there for grass fires in London this summer?

The Rainham incident occurred during a period of heightened wildfire risk across London. As reported by the BBC, the London Fire Brigade attended 1,345 incidents over the recent weekend hot spell, including multiple grass fires such as the 10-acre blaze in Rainham.

Earlier in July, the LFB issued warnings about disposable barbecues and unextinguished cigarettes after responding to several grass fires in one day, including incidents in Feltham, Rainham and Hayes that together involved around 90 firefighters and 14 fire engines.

Historical LFB incident data also shows repeated grass fires in and around Rainham in previous summers, including blazes that damaged several hectares of grassland and required multi-station responses.

In one recent incident near Launders Lane in July 2026, four fire engines and about 25 firefighters tackled a grass fire that damaged around three hectares, with crews using backpack blowers to help contain it.

Background: Ingrebourne Hill and recent wildfire activity in Rainham

Ingrebourne Hill is a green space and country park area in Rainham, east London, forming part of the wider Ingrebourne Valley landscape. It has been the location of multiple grass fires in recent years, reflecting both the availability of dry grassland and the pressures of hot, dry weather.

The London Fire Brigade has repeatedly highlighted grass fires in Rainham as part of a broader pattern during summer months.

In 2025, for example, firefighters dealt with separate grass fires in Rainham within a short timeframe, including one that destroyed around 10 hectares of grass and shrubland and required 12 fire engines and about 80 firefighters.

In another 2025 incident, two fires in Rainham damaged a combined total of around 10 hectares within just over an hour, with crews from Plaistow, Ilford, Harold Hill and Dagenham attending.

In 2024, a separate blaze at Ingrebourne Hill Park involved approximately 60 firefighters and eight fire engines, with around five hectares of grassland and shrubbery destroyed.

The recurrence of such incidents has led the LFB to issue repeated public safety advice, including warnings about disposable barbecues, proper disposal of cigarettes, and avoiding distractions when using BBQs outdoors.

Prediction: How could this development affect local residents and park users?

If grass fires like the one on Ingrebourne Hill continue to occur during hot spells, local residents and regular park users in Rainham and surrounding areas are likely to face several practical impacts.

• Access and amenity restrictions: Burnt areas may be temporarily closed or restricted while the ground stabilises and vegetation recovers, limiting walking routes, recreational use and access to parts of the country park.
• Heightened emergency response: Repeated large-scale grass fires can stretch local fire resources during heatwaves, potentially increasing response times if multiple incidents occur simultaneously across east London.
• Precautionary evacuations: As seen with the 35 households evacuated on Palmerston Road, future incidents could again lead to short-term evacuations, causing disruption and anxiety for those living closest to open grassland.
• Behavioural and regulatory pressure: The LFB has already warned against disposable barbecues and unextinguished cigarettes during hot weather; further incidents may prompt tighter local guidance or enforcement around open fires, BBQ use and smoking in high-risk green spaces.
• Environmental and visual impact: Repeated burning can damage habitats, reduce biodiversity and leave visible scarring on the landscape, affecting the aesthetic and ecological value of Ingrebourne Hill for the community.

For residents, the most immediate effect is likely to be increased awareness of fire risk during hot weather, alongside possible temporary disruptions to park access and occasional emergency measures such as evacuations when fires spread close to homes.