Commuters faced travel chaos on Friday after a bushfire near the rail lines forced Stratford station to close — a major London interchange that serves the Underground, Overground, Docklands Light Railway, Elizabeth Line and National Rail services. Transport for London reported severe delays on the Elizabeth, Mildmay and Jubilee lines as firefighters scrambled to control the blaze.
The London Fire Brigade confirmed they were on the scene, responding on social media to videos of the fire near the tracks. The station reopened on Friday night, but passengers were warned to expect lingering delays to some services.
“A bushfire near Stratford station shut the key London interchange, causing severe travel disruption as a heatwave raises wildfire risk.”
Tom Goodall, an LFB assistant commissioner, used the incident to underline the growing wildfire risk during the capital’s continuing heatwave. “We want everyone across the city to enjoy the continuing heatwave but this must be done responsibly,” he said. “The latest wildfire risk assessment indicates that if grass fires were to break out, the chance of them spreading more rapidly due to the weather conditions is greater.”
The heatwave is predicted to last at least another week, with temperatures expected to hit 30C on Friday. The latest assessments show the wildfire risk in London will grow from “elevated” to “extreme” from Saturday to Monday, driven by prolonged dry weather, heat and wind speed.
Goodall added: “With so many of London’s parks and open spaces close to properties and communities, it is vital the public take as much care as possible to prevent these fires starting in the first place. We have seen first-hand in London, as well as around the world, just how devastating the impact wildfires can have on livelihoods.” He urged residents to avoid disposable barbecues in parks, take rubbish home, and dispose of cigarettes properly. For barbecues at home, he recommended they be on level ground away from decking, fences, trees and balconies.
The bushfires broke out along the rail lines near Stratford, and firefighters were deployed to control them. With the heatwave set to continue and the risk level rising, Londoners face not only the lingering travel disruption but a heightened threat of further wildfires.
