Firefighters are urging people who smoke to dispose of their cigarettes properly following two fires at a Billericay Nature Reserve over the past few days.

Crews were called to Mill Meadows on Friday at 11.30am and on Sunday evening at around 7pm following reports of small fires there. On Sunday a bench was on fire and has been damaged.

On Friday a quick thinking local resident used a bucket of water and a dog walker used their dogs drinking water on Sunday to stop the fires from spreading. The fires could have been caused either accidentally or deliberately.

Firefighters rescued 3 dogs after a fire broke out at a kennels in Ardleigh on Tuesday evening.

The building, which measures roughly 40 metres by 10 metres, was 75% alight when crews arrived. Four other dogs had already been rescued.

The owners of the property, who were outside at the time, were alerted to the fire after hearing banging and popping noises.

Crews rescued the three dogs and managed to quickly stop the fire spreading further to the rest of the property, using a nearby lake to support their supplies of water.

Update at 10pm

Buckhurst Hill flooding

The flooding affected 18 properties in Rous Road and Boxted Close, Buckhurst Hill. Not River Road as we said earlier.

Crews from Loughton, Epping, Waltham Abbey and Corringham attended but have now left the scene. Relief crews from Chelmsford and Basildon remain in the area to continue reducing water levels. A crew from Thaxted is also on scene using an aqua vac to suck out water from some properties in Boxted Close.

We’d like to thank local residents for their support.

Firefighters worked quickly to stop a fire from spreading in Harlow during the early hours of this morning. 

Crews were called at just after midnight, to reports of one first floor flat on fire and smoke in the two-storey building.

Initially two crews from Harlow, one from Old Harlow plus two from Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service - Sawbridgeworth and Bishop Stortford - attended.

Many of the residents had left the building and crews helped others to evacuate. Firefighters used fans to ventilate the building and clear the smoke.

Firefighters rescued two kittens today after they found themselves in an impawsible position in a drain.

Crews were called to a potential cat-astrophe on Colet Crescent in Colchester at 4:24pm after two curious kittens had been exploring in a garden and ventured into a drain.

Firefighters used a camera to locate and rescue the pair by 6:12pm.

The kittens were unharmed during the incident and are back running around the garden.

Firefighters were called to a rubbish fire in Witham earlier today that spread to fence panels and two houses.

Crews were called to Hemingway Road, Witham at 4:11pm.

On arrival, firefighters reported that a rubbish fire had spread to fence panels, a house and was beginning to affect a neighbour's house.

Firefighters worked quickly to contain the fire and prevent it spreading further.

Crews extinguished the fire by 4:30pm and believe it was caused by a discarded cigarette

Firefighters were called to an outbuilding fire in Loughton at 1:33pm.

On arrival, crews reported an outbuilding attached to a house was on fire and was beginning to spread to two houses.

Crews worked quickly to prevent the fire spreading further and extinguished it by 2:21pm.

Firefighters believe it was caused by a discarded cigarette.

Firefighters are giving bonfire safety advice after embers from a bonfire caught decking alight in Shoebury last night.

Crews were called to a garden fire in Ashanti Close, Shoebury at 11:51pm.

On arrival, crews reported that an incinerator had caught decking alight and was starting to affect a house.

Firefighters worked quickly to extinguish the fire and prevent it spreading to the house by 12:16am.

Firefighters are giving bonfire safety advice after embers from a bonfire caught a shed alight and spread to seven gardens in Wickford.

Five crews were called to Hereward Gardens at 11:56am where a number of fences panels, trees and sheds were on fire.

Crews worked quickly to prevent the fires from spreading to houses and extinguished the fire by 12:45pm.

Station Manager Jon Ford said: “Crews worked extremely hard to surround the fire and prevent it spreading further. I’d like to thank our control room for co-ordinating this incident.”

Firefighters were called to a field fire near the M11 in Chigwell earlier today.

Our Control Room sent four crews to the scene to contain the fire and prevent it spreading near the M11.

Firefighters extinguished the fire by 2pm.

Please avoid having bonfires in this hot and dry weather.

Could you be an on-call firefighter?

Firefighters who attended this incident from Epping Fire Station are on-call firefighters, who live or work within 5 minutes of the station and are paid to protect their community.