Firefighters have given smoking safety advice after a discarded cigarette caused a bedroom fire in Great Chesterford last night.

Crews were called to a bungalow fire in Stanley Road at 10:24 when residents heard their smoke alarms going off.

On arrival, crews reported a bedroom in a bungalow was heavily smoke logged. 

Firefighters wearing Breathing Apparatus entered the bungalow to extinguish the fire and ventilate the property.

Crews believe the fire was caused by a discarded cigarette that caught bedding alight. 

Our Control Room received more than 100 calls throughout the day today after heavy rain caused widespread flooding across Essex.

Among the incidents we attended were:

Firefighters rescued Dotty, a Springer Spaniel, yesterday after she fell off the edge of a cliff in Walton while out walking.

Crews were called at 3:31pm on Thursday 4 January to reports that Dotty had fallen from the edge of the cliff and was unable to get back up due to her injuries. 

Specially trained firefighters from our Urban Search and Rescue team were sent to the scene to help rescue Dotty using ropes. 

Two USAR technicians used ropes to lower themselves to Dotty and rescue her by 4:45pm. 

She was left in the care of a vet. 

Firefighters have issued safety advice after a wax melt candle ignited in a family home yesterday. 

The family had bought home-made wax melts online which caught fire once the wax started to heat up. They were alerted by their smoke alarm and were able to get outside safely and call 999. 

The fire was out when the crews arrived. They made sure it was fully extinguished and issued safety advice. 

Station Manager Andre Turner said: “This incident highlights the importance of having a working smoke alarm on every floor.

Crews extinguished a fire at a recycling centre in Rochford.

We were called to Brickfields Way yesterday (4 January) at 9.18pm and crews from Leigh, Rayleigh Weir and Southend (two) attended.

Waste in a large warehouse was alight and crews quickly extinguished the fire on the surface. 

They then worked with on-site staff, who used an excavator and a bulldozer, to move and turn over the material to make sure it was fully extinguished. 

Crews left the scene shortly after midnight.

Our Control Room received more than 250 calls between 1pm and 8pm today as Storm Henk brought strong winds and heavy rain to Essex.

Among the incidents we attended were:

Crews extinguished a fire affecting outbuildings in South Woodham Ferrers.

We were called to reports of bushes on fire in Leeward Road today at 12.12am and crews from Basildon, Rayleigh Weir and Wickford attended.

When firefighters arrived they found that the fire had spread to two outbuildings; a shed measuring approximately 5 metres by 5 metres and a garage measuring approximately 5 metres by 10 metres.

Crews extinguished the fire by 1.29am and remained at the scene until 3.10am to dampen down and check for hotspots.

Crews have issued safety advice after a smoke alarm alerted a neighbour to a kitchen fire.

We were called to a ground floor flat in Rampart Terrace in Shoeburyness today at 1.22am.

A neighbour had heard a smoke alarm sounding and when she looked through the letterbox she saw smoke in the property.

Two crews from Southend attended.

Temporary Watch Manager Richard Burch said: "We could see smoke in the property so we forced open the door.

We have been working with partner agencies, including Harlow District Council and Cadent, to resolve an incident at Edmunds Tower in Haydens Road, Harlow.

We were called at 4.18pm by a concerned resident and we have been working to make sure the building is safe.

We were able to hand over the building to the local authority shortly before 9pm.

Group Manager Marc Diggory said: "I'd like to thank the community for its assistance and patience."

Firefighters have given safety advice after a tumble dryer caused a fire in a garage. 

Crews from Brentwood and Chelmsford were called to Clavery Way, Hutton at 2.20pm and found a tumble dryer on fire in a heavily smoke logged garage. 

Watch Manager Ben Stapleton said: “Crews worked hard to stop the fire from spreading into the house. Unfortunately there was some fire damage to the roof, crews made it as safe as it can be for the windy weather.