Romford Fire: Grass Blaze Disrupts A12 Traffic, 60 Firefighters Respond

A large grass fire on a farmer's field near the A12 at the Mawney Road junction in Romford sent thick black smoke billowing across one of Havering's busiest roads on July 29, 2026. Motorists are being forced to turn around as visibility rapidly deteriorates, with smoke drifting across the A12 and creating hazardous driving conditions.

The London Fire Brigade has deployed eight fire engines and around 60 firefighters to tackle the blaze near Bridport Avenue in Collier Row. Approximately three acres of grassland are alight, with crews from Leytonstone, Wennington, Homerton, Bethnal Green, and surrounding fire stations working to bring the blaze under control.

The Brigade's Control Officers received the first of 11 emergency calls reporting the fire at 4:15pm, prompting a significant emergency response. The cause of the fire is not yet known. Residents are advised to avoid the area where possible and allow emergency services to carry out their work safely.

Separate Orpington Fire Highlights Risks

This incident follows a similar grass fire in Orpington on July 28, which scorched half an acre of cornfield and damaged two motor vehicles and one outbuilding. Eight fire engines and around 60 firefighters responded to that blaze near Crockenhill Road after receiving their first call about 1:20pm. Responders were able to bring the fire under control by 3:29pm with the help of firefighters from Orpington, Sidcup, and Eltham.

Station Commander Craig Fenner noted that the presence of an existing fire break at the Orpington incident made a significant difference to firefighting operations, limiting the spread of the fire and allowing crews time to get it under control before it could do more damage.

Outer London Grass Fire Risk

An LFB spokesperson said that outer London boroughs including Havering, Bexley, Bromley, Hillingdon, and Enfield have recorded more than three times the number of grass fires compared to inner London from 2022 to 2025, due to their urban-rural interface. With hot weather continuing, the Brigade is asking landowners across the capital to consider where they can create fire breaks to reduce the risk of wildfires spreading in an emergency.

For residents in Romford and Collier Row, the immediate priority is to stay clear of the affected area near the A12 and Bridport Avenue. The situation remains ongoing, and further updates will follow as more information becomes available.